The Wassall impact

[Philmycock]

16 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

Wassall is simply trying to keep morale high. 

The fans have done a sterling job in trying to lower it, therefore I'm glad we've got someone who is doing everything within his power to try and keep confidence high. 

The very worst thing about this season has been the fans, by and large. It's a chore to watch Derby, especially when you consider how many supporters we have that struggle to tie their shoelaces with a brand new Pritt Stick to hand. 

 

Maybe raising expectations by giving £25m to a nobody to spend on mediocre players didn't help

[RamNut]

On 28 February 2016 at 20:05, eddie said:

Mel asked me who I would like to see in the job - I said "Steve McClaren".

 i'd love to have seen his face.

 

[RamNut]

8 hours ago, reveldevil said:

Maclaren wanted to stay and put things right through a sense of duty, Mel decided duty wasn't enough and he needed to see devotion, so sacked him.

Clement sacked because he allegedly put his ambitions before the club's. 

Seems Mel wants to find a manager whose absolute limit of ambition is to be Derby boss, in which case it's not Derby's 'Alex Ferguson' he's looking for, it's Derby's 'Dario Gradi'.

You've reminded me......charlie george was stinging in his criticism of dario gradi in his book.

he also - whilst having nothing personal against murphy - was highly critical of the club appointing an inexperienced coach to manage senior players.

Groundhog days.

good book though.

[Alph]

2 hours ago, philmycock said:

Maybe raising expectations by giving £25m to a nobody to spend on mediocre players didn't help

Everyone should know that money guarantees nothing. 

It doesn't excuse the pathetic meltdowns of grown men. 

[eddie]

3 hours ago, RamNut said:

You've reminded me......charlie george was stinging in his criticism of dario gradi in his book.

he also - whilst having nothing personal against murphy - was highly critical of the club appointing an inexperienced coach to manage senior players.

Groundhog days.

good book though.

What's The Doc doing nowadays? And Billy Caskey?

[Harrowram]

Defeats to MK Dons and Wolves. No chance of automatic promotion. What impact?

[RamNut]

12 minutes ago, eddie said:

What's The Doc doing nowadays? And Billy Caskey?

 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Ambitious said:

Wassall is simply trying to keep morale high. 

The fans have done a sterling job in trying to lower it, therefore I'm glad we've got someone who is doing everything within his power to try and keep confidence high. 

The very worst thing about this season has been the fans, by and large. It's a chore to watch Derby, especially when you consider how many supporters we have that struggle to tie their shoelaces with a brand new Pritt Stick to hand. 

 

Or could it be the growing number of supporters that have strings attached to their limbs.

You really think it's the supporters that derailed our season by sacking a manager and replacing him with someone with zero managerial experience, is it the supporters who are putting square pegs in round holes and have little tactical awareness to implement a playing style on the team....oh it's ok though, because he is trying to keep morale high, forget trying to win matches, forget trying to play attractive football, forget promotion because we have a manager that knows how to motivate......hash brown anyone ??

[eddie]

34 minutes ago, Leeds Ram said:

Or could it be the growing number of supporters that have strings attached to their limbs.

You really think it's the supporters that derailed our season by sacking a manager and replacing him with someone with zero managerial experience, is it the supporters who are putting square pegs in round holes and have little tactical awareness to implement a playing style on the team....oh it's ok though, because he is trying to keep morale high, forget trying to win matches, forget trying to play attractive football, forget promotion because we have a manager that knows how to motivate......hash brown anyone ??

Most people are just prepared to shoot the messenger. You seem intent on shoving shiat down their throats.

Must be a Leeds thing.

[RamNut]

12 minutes ago, eddie said:

Most people are just prepared to shoot the messenger. You seem intent on shoving shiat down their throats.

Must be a Leeds thing.

Peeeeeeep

sense of humour Ed.

free-kick to Leeds Ram 

10 yards

 

[Guest]

27 minutes ago, eddie said:

Most people are just prepared to shoot the messenger. You seem intent on shoving shiat down their throats.

Must be a Leeds thing.

Quite possibly, I'm not going argue I don't talk ***** the majority of the time....but there is no way I believe the reason going to watch Derby is a chore is the result of fans being negative.

[ValeRam]

14 hours ago, Tombo said:

It's not like I don't understand the criticism. Trust me, when the season is done and dusted I'll have plenty to say. There's plenty I've already said in critique. 

I just don't think now is the time. We're nearing the final stretch of the season. Hold your horses for just a bit longer. That's all I'm saying. We've got all summer to make our voices heard. But right now I don't think there's any benefit to such harsh criticism. It's not going to change anything.

Wass is doing what he thinks is right and is steadying the ship as best he can. That's all you can ask from an interim manager. You can't ask for style or a huge marked difference. You can only ask for him to keep the team happy and on a steady footing for the next man who takes over. He's doing okay on that front I think.

very fair comment - i agree 

[archied]

Would not worry so much if he was keeping thing s ticking over till the new manager arrives but he son trial for the job full time? That is where my only chink of worry regards Mel nags me ,,, why one inexperienced coach replaced by one on trial till the end of season who is far less experienced than the last ,,,,,,, there's the nag nag,,,, does Mel want to manage the team??? I hope not , I really can't believe that bu bu but the actions this season nag at me

[Ninos]

We could go on a run at the end win at Wembley and get promoted. It still doesn't change the fact that the league is full of poor teams, very poor teams. There aren't many good players in the league either - so ithe league should be easily won - it boils down to tactics and managerial skill. We need a manager who isn't afraid to give Calero Zanzala and other young ones a run in the team and who knows how to set up formations and bring the very best out of players, by adding bits to their game and instilling them with self belief.  And not to play Ince Blackman Johnson out of position.  The fans have almost zero to do with our success. 

I truly believe we'd have done better this season if we bought no one and actually had sold a few. Or saved our 20+ million for 2-3 players 

[Srg]

30 minutes ago, Ninos said:

so the league should be easily won

and that, right there, is everything wrong with Derby fans.

[RoyMac5]

17 minutes ago, Srg said:

and that, right there, is everything wrong with Derby fans.

So you don't think that given our past two seasons performances that as Ninos says:

 

49 minutes ago, Ninos said:

so the league should be easily won - it boils down to tactics and managerial skill.

all we really needed was a decent manager? The rest is there waiting to be used as Mac showed! Can't blame the fans for believing the evidence of their own eyes.

[StantonRam]

19 hours ago, Duracell said:

Carson, Forsyth, Bryson, Hendrick, Thorne, Keogh, Grant, Hughes, Butterfield, Russell, Shackell, Buxton, Martin and Christie. These are the only players who have proved they can be part of a successful Derby side for any period of time in my opinion, and even in that list, there are some serious question marks for me. Are we going to have to watch Shackell kick it out for a line-out in every single game? Will Championship defenders learn not to be skinned by Christie's awful dribbling? Will we ever get the old Russell back? Is Thorne always going to be in and out of the team? But that's probably a bit nit-picky. There's no such thing as a perfect team.

The combined transfer fees of that lot is about the same as the combined transfer fees of Bradley Johnson and Tom Ince.

That's the crux of the matter IMO.

We've made the same mistake as before in being panicked into signing quantity rather than quality.

Spending £20 million on 4 or 5 or 6 players only makes sense at Championship level.  If we were going to really think Premier League then that money should have been used to buy 1 or 2 top notch people who would really improve what we have.

Having said that, how ironic that the entire Leicester team cost less than £5m in transfer fees!  The teams that went up in recent years and then did well (Swansea, Southampton, Stoke, Leicester, West Brom, Palace) all did so from a combination of well judged low budget signings that paid off alongside Academy products and some loanees.  You can't buy promotion (unless you're QPR, and where are they now?)

We replaced Hughes & Bryson with Ince, Weimann, Butterfield & Johnson.  And Blackman.  And Camara.  Why?  Bryson is back, Hughes will be soon.  Recent events prove that actually they are still probably the best option.  A mid 3 of a fully fit Thorne/Bryson/Hughes is top quality in this league, and I don't see any evidence that Johnson or Weimann give us anything better or different, although I can see the arguments in favour of Butterfield & Ince.  We also have Hendrick, who on his day can make a real difference.

Loaning out Shotton etc made sense IMO.  Maybe we have to loan out a few more with recall clauses to keep them sharp in case we need them, and then play a consistent team and formation for the rest of the season and just see what happens.  A £20m bench makes no sense if we are struggling against bottom half teams.   Is Johnson 5 times better than Mahrez?  I think not.

We've become the Chelsea of the Championship.  What shall it profit a club if it gains a £20m bench but loses its soul?

Highlight of the season so far - seeing those 3 goals go in at Brentford just yards in front of me.  If only it was like that most of the time rather than occasionally.

Realistically we won't finish top 2 now, playoffs are possible though, and actually I'd fancy us to reach another playoff final if the top 6 stays as it is.  Trouble is, what if it's a final against Burnley?  Aaaaargh.......

 

 

[Duracell]

1 minute ago, LondonRam2 said:

That's the crux of the matter IMO.

We've made the same mistake as before in being panicked into signing quantity rather than quality.

Spending £20 million on 4 or 5 or 6 players only makes sense at Championship level.  If we were going to really think Premier League then that money should have been used to buy 1 or 2 top notch people who would really improve what we have.

Having said that, how ironic that the entire Leicester team cost less than £5m in transfer fees!  The teams that went up in recent years and then did well (Swansea, Southampton, Stoke, Leicester, West Brom, Palace) all did so from a combination of well judged low budget signings that paid off alongside Academy products and some loanees.  You can't buy promotion (unless you're QPR, and where are they now?)

We replaced Hughes & Bryson with Ince, Weimann, Butterfield & Johnson.  And Blackman.  And Camara.  Why?  Bryson is back, Hughes will be soon.  Recent events prove that actually they are still probably the best option.  A mid 3 of a fully fit Thorne/Bryson/Hughes is top quality in this league, and I don't see any evidence that Johnson or Weimann give us anything better or different, although I can see the arguments in favour of Butterfield & Ince.  We also have Hendrick, who on his day can make a real difference.

Loaning out Shotton etc made sense IMO.  Maybe we have to loan out a few more with recall clauses to keep them sharp in case we need them, and then play a consistent team and formation for the rest of the season and just see what happens.  A £20m bench makes no sense if we are struggling against bottom half teams.   Is Johnson 5 times better than Mahrez?  I think not.

We've become the Chelsea of the Championship.  What shall it profit a club if it gains a £20m bench but loses its soul?

Highlight of the season so far - seeing those 3 goals go in at Brentford just yards in front of me.  If only it was like that most of the time rather than occasionally.

Realistically we won't finish top 2 now, playoffs are possible though, and actually I'd fancy us to reach another playoff final if the top 6 stays as it is.  Trouble is, what if it's a final against Burnley?  Aaaaargh.......

 

 

Well Leicester are an interesting case, because they fannied about with a lot of money for a long time. Remember them under Sven, and some of the talent they'd have on the bench then? I remember plenty saying that Gelson Fernandes was playing below his level in this league but my Leicester mates said he was useless. Remember Matt Mills being signed as their captain!?

In the end, it took a big personality like Nigel Pearson to come in, clear out the dross and keep the odd few of the big signings who actually had something to offer. He was then brave enough to add players who weren't so well known to the squad, despite the money he had. Whatever you think of Pearson, he built a team out of a very confused jigsaw left behind by the previous management and a rich ownership which was new to running a football club.

Very similar to our situation, and if you believe some of the rumours, the very same man could be appointed to do it all again here.

[Ninos]

3 hours ago, Srg said:

and that, right there, is everything wrong with Derby fans.

Who cares about the fans really? They don't influence the games otherwise we'd be top. The whole picking on fans thing is a total waste of time.  A manager a group of players their skills and desire his tactics and influence ... That's what will determine our success. Picking on fans is just weak - we love our team but we love good football - and perhaps that's what Mel meant about the Derby Way. 

[toddy]

15 minutes ago, Duracell said:

Well Leicester are an interesting case, because they fannied about with a lot of money for a long time. Remember them under Sven, and some of the talent they'd have on the bench then? I remember plenty saying that Gelson Fernandes was playing below his level in this league but my Leicester mates said he was useless. Remember Matt Mills being signed as their captain!?

In the end, it took a big personality like Nigel Pearson to come in, clear out the dross and keep the odd few of the big signings who actually had something to offer. He was then brave enough to add players who weren't so well known to the squad, despite the money he had. Whatever you think of Pearson, he built a team out of a very confused jigsaw left behind by the previous management and a rich ownership which was new to running a football club.

Very similar to our situation, and if you believe some of the rumours, the very same man could be appointed to do it all again here.

If only...........

If it was true why would we need to wait until the summer?

That does not make sense if it was Pearson.