McClaren's First Interview

[ramesses]

2 hours ago, brady1993 said:

The thing is that Rafa Benitez is one of the best manager's in the world, with an absolutely fantastic CV. And even he couldn't completely stop the rot. 

He came damn close. He was only there for the last 10 games and only lost 3 of them. Once he’d sorted things out he took the club on a six game unbeaten run to the end of the season.

[RadioactiveWaste]

I would put Raffa in a different class to McClaren.

How Newcastle got him is I guess being the right thing at the right time, sheer good luck on their part. I was surprised he stayed if I'm honest.

 

[Ambitious]

I've just watched the two videos and you can see what he's trying to do - replicate what made us good in the past. 

This time he has better players to work with, but he needs to build that team spirit. 

I know people have commented on him having flaws, but I'd give my left nut to see football like what he helped us produce again. Clement and Pearson certainly didn't show any signs of danger of doing that. Both systematically ruined players whilst head coach / manager here. 

90% of the squad went backwards under Clement, players like Johnson who had performed elsewhere, dramatically got weaker as Clement imposed his ideas in his head. Pearson was unique in the sense that every single player in the entire squad got worse. 

If you focus purely on the performances of the players, who has consistently been better under Clement and Pearson? I guess you could argue Keogh, perhaps, but that's it. It wouldn't be difficult to pick the players that got significantly worse though. 

I'm looking forward to seeing what McClaren can do with Butterfield in particular. I do think once we get our game plan worked out, if he can be the most advanced central midfielder then we will get a lot of goals out of him. I also think our wide attacking players will be suited to the former regime. 

[Kernow]

I don't see why the spirit that we had last time around couldn't return. It's not like it was strong before he arrived last time, he created that. We had Clough's players but they rarely played like a side who were close-knit with high spirit levels. Mac turned good players into a great team. This time he faces a similar situation but on a different level. Better players, but probably less of a spirit. If he can get these players to play as a team like last time then we'll still have a decent chance of having quite a good season after all..

[TommyPowell]

3 hours ago, brady1993 said:

Good interview. Said all the right things about building a footballing culture. It's nice to hear a bit of enthusiasm from a Manager again.

Hasnt the penny dropped yet? Steves way is the Derby way

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

2 minutes ago, Kernow said:

I don't see why the spirit that we had last time around couldn't return. It's not like it was strong before he arrived last time, he created that. We had Clough's players but they rarely played like a side who were close-knit with high spirit levels. Mac turned good players into a great team. This time he faces a similar situation but on a different level. Better players, but probably less of a spirit. If he can get these players to play as a team like last time then we'll still have a decent chance of having quite a good season after all..

I'd disagree, I think Clough built the spirit in the squad to a large extent but was not capable of of getting the best football out on the pitch, that spirit slowly writhing in our second season under him was dramatic when the chips were down.

I would say he had us all believing anything was possible, which is different, and something Clough could never have done.

That's kind of how I see it, but i could be wrong.

[DRBee]

8 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

I'd disagree, I think Clough built the spirit in the squad to a large extent but was not capable of of getting the best football out on the pitch, that spirit slowly writhing in our second season under him was dramatic when the chips were down.

I would say he had us all believing anything was possible, which is different, and something Clough could never have done.

That's kind of how I see it, but i could be wrong.

Look at the results in Clough's last FULL season with us and still try and justify that Clough built the spirit. The spirit came from winning games so regularly after Mac arrived.By all means credit Clough for bringing the players together even if he didn't get the flair and the win rate Mac got from them.

[RadioactiveWaste]

8 minutes ago, DRBee said:

Look at the results in Clough's last FULL season with us and still try and justify that Clough built the spirit. The spirit came from winning games so regularly after Mac arrived.By all means credit Clough for bringing the players together even if he didn't get the flair and the win rate Mac got from them.

I stand by what I said, the team spirit was there, they didn't perform as well but they were together. Crap teams who stay up don't have a spirit from winning, they have it in them selves to get enough.

McClaren brought something different in terms of belief and ambition, but to me it was clear Nigel's team were a together squad who were close, loyal and "a team".

That's my view. I still think we'd have had an OK season if Clough hadn't been given the boot.

[B4ev6is]

I think few team spirt thing will help briged that gap.

[Muskination]

4 hours ago, TheDeadlySaul said:

Everyone laughed when we appointed McClaren last time. 

...and they laughed when it turned to ****, and now they're laughing all over again.

[Raminphilippines]

Don't keep on about his hair he is 100% a Ram.

Remove the horns and it is McClaren.

 

[cannable]

3 hours ago, Pearson said:

His poor signings in the transfer window and consequential team selections led to our demise.

My “namesake” never had the opportunity to deliver...simple as!

His selections were as a result of injuries and his signings were without the benefit of hindsight.

Your namesake? I could write a paragraph on him but I can't be bothered, he isn't worth my time.

Quite simply; he is arguably the worst Derby manager in a genaration.

[needles]

Pearson was so bad for Derby it makes me shudder. As someone else posted...I can't think of a single thing he did I agree with. I wanted him here too. Doh.

Mac is flawed, but he's capable of producing football teams that entertain me, win games, and make my life more enjoyable.

Could not be happier he's back. Just need togetherness, time and luck now.

Bring on the dirties.

[Milbs]

Really enjoyed the interview, spoke very well. Glad he got the sour part out the way first, for me it is now a closed chapter and we move on. 

I want be excited by going home and away again, like you all do so let's get behind him....can't get any worse Shirley? 

[BathRam72]

You know what. I am not a fan of Pearson but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Saying he is the worst manager Derby have ever had is a bit rough considering he only had less than a dozen games. The truth is we will never know  a) What really went on and  b) What he may or may not have gone on to achieve.

I am really pleased we have Steve back and hope that he can reproduce the feel good factor and go on to achieve the success we all secretly crave.

[eddie]

22 minutes ago, BathRam72 said:

You know what. I am not a fan of Pearson but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Saying he is the worst manager Derby have ever had is a bit rough considering he only had less than a dozen games. The truth is we will never know  a) What really went on and  b) What he may or may not have gone on to achieve.

I am really pleased we have Steve back and hope that he can reproduce the feel good factor and go on to achieve the success we all secretly crave.

I would say that Pearson was not a good fit.

We've done this jigsaw before, and we know that McClaren is a good fit. Hopefully we can find the final piece next time - have you looked behind the fridge?

[mrdave85]

7 hours ago, Muskination said:

...and they laughed when it turned to ****, and now they're laughing all over again.

I don't buy this "Everyone is laughing at us".

Who? Who actually cares about Derby outside of the supporters here, really? Some national journos will put their opinion forward, get a few likes on social media, and go back to reporting on the "Holy Grail" of the Premier League. 

Rival fans will mock whoever we appointed, it's like some of our fans would mock whoever F*rest appoint. Part of football and they'll care more about their own club and find another stick to beat us with in a few weeks.

SMC coming back seems to have lifted the mood, I think it would take some sort of miracle to get us to playoffs (last day, results going our way, last minute winner kind of drama) but top half and good football for the rest of the season will be good enough for me. 

Football world laughing at us though? Na. I think it's nerves because they remember the force DCFC were the last time SMC was here, and are worried.

COYR

EDIT: A word

[SuperDerbySuperRams]

RD interview even better. Great questioning. Great responses. Feeling far more positive than I was. Roll on tomorrow

 

 

[BondJovi]

I didn't want to get carried away but these interviews don't help, all this talk of exciting attacking football. At least there is a clear plan now.

[Muskination]

31 minutes ago, mrdave85 said:

I don't buy this "Everyone is laughing at us".

Who? Who actually cares about Derby outside of the supporters here, really? Some national journos will put their opinion forward, get a few likes on social media, and go back to reporting on the "Holy Grail" of the Premier League. 

Rival fans will mock whoever we appointed, it's like some of our fans would mock whoever F*rest appoint. Part of football and they'll care more about their own club and find another stick to beat us with in a few weeks.

SMC coming back seems to have lifted the mood, I think it would take some sort of miracle to get us to playoffs (last day, results going our way, last minute winner kind of drama) but top half and good football for the rest of the season will be good enough for me. 

Football world laughing at us though? Na. I think it's nerves because they remember the force DCFC were the last time SMC was here, and are worried.

COYR

EDIT: A word

I, of course, hope he does well and there's a good chance that he may. However, to think that those around us are nervous is delusional. Alan Shearer, Robbie Savage, and Stan Collymore have all been twitter quoted due to their disbelief.

Of course we're being laughed at, and I sincerely do hope we do very well because if we don't, we will be an even bigger laughing stock than we are already. If that's possible.