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Are we a difficult club to manage?


mrdave85

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A quote I saw on BBC Sport today inspired me to start this discussion:

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Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock on new Swansea boss Paul Clement: "I like Paul. I met him when he was at Derby. He’s a really nice chap. He talks well and is very sociable.

Derby is not an easy club to manage and I am sure he will use that experience. He has some good players at Swansea

He goes on to talk more about Swansea, and I'm not one to normally pay attention to what Warnock has to say (because of his QPR days), but this seemingly out of nowhere jab got me thinking.

What makes us a difficult club to manage? Has the number of managers we've had in the past few years given a perception of "player-power" or an interfering chairman? Is it the fans expectations being too high? Does he just not like Derby? 

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8 minutes ago, mrdave85 said:

A quote I saw on BBC Sport today inspired me to start this discussion:

He goes on to talk more about Swansea, and I'm not one to normally pay attention to what Warnock has to say (because of his QPR days), but this seemingly out of nowhere jab got me thinking.

What makes us a difficult club to manage? Has the number of managers we've had in the past few years given a perception of "player-power" or an interfering chairman? Is it the fans expectations being too high? Does he just not like Derby? 

I think the ex manager/pundit view of the Championship has hardened in the last couple of seasons, it being seen as ever fuller of ex prem clubs with big support bases and big ambitions to return to the promised land.

This view has been boosted as the prem sacking merry-go-round has sped up as owners there of struggling clubs realise what a bear pit it is to escape from if your club is relegated. Which you don't want with the prem's money.

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Play decent football and be in and around the top 8 every season I'd say was the minimum requirement.

With the money that Derby managers are afforded together with the draw of playing for one of the divisions biggest clubs then it's not really that difficult to attract the players to make this possible.

At least managers know where they stand.

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I know a couple of people in and around football, from academy to first team coaches and they always mention the fans.

it seems to be all the "big clubs" ie. Derby, villa, forest that have fallen on hard times that get mentioned. Expectation, coupled with disappointment means sometimes atmospheres at the home ground isn't the best when it comes to players playing without fear of making mistakes.

the cliche is stop them playing football, make to games scrappy, keep it tight and eventually the fans with moan, groan and get on the players backs.

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Firstly anything Warnock says should always be taken with a pinch of salt. So no need for too much self flagelation. 

But in some ways, I imagine we are. 

The fans are very demanding and 30k of them every week (even if we think we're being quiet) puts pressure on unlike at Rotherham or Millwall or Huddersfield etc.

In many ways it's much easier to manage port vale, than us as a sleeping 'giant'. 

And I don't think Sam and Mel have probably been number one on the top of the league managers assoc xmas card list. They're quite ruthless, whether they're vindicated in being so is still to be seen, but they don't appear to have the stand off-ish back seat approach that, say Ben Robinson does.

But if you look at Birmingham city, Hull, Villa, Forest, only in the last 3 months, then we're by no means 'difficult'.

 

But, as I said, Warnock is a soapy tit ****, so let's not lose any sleep over what he thinks.

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2 minutes ago, Tony Le Mesmer said:

Play decent football and be in and around the top 8 every season I'd say was the minimum requirement.

With the money that Derby managers are afforded together with the draw of playing for one of the divisions biggest clubs then it's not really that difficult.

At least managers know where they stand.

Ah ...... but ....

Would playing turgid 4-1-4-1 and winning every game 1-0 be classed as 'decent football'? Would be for many if promotion followed, but many would moan and await disaster.

Finishing (abruptly) in 7th or 8th spot I also find b***dy annoying.

I also have to say I don't know what the problem is. I have won the Champions League with Derby on FIFA twice running and it wasn't that tricky.:thumbsup:

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With our managers flying in and out the last couple of years, you could agree with him. But in modern football it is almost strange to keep the same manager for years! Lately, it haven't been the sackings, that have been the strangest thing about Derby FC! The hiring on the other hand ..... nobody I know find it easy to understand.....! :) 

If Warnut is talking about the fans and the dream about promotion - he should choose another business! 

If he is talking about the desire to play football by keeping and passing the ball I agree with him - It will impossible for him to learn. 

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I may be wrong, but I do remember reading something (and it may not have been Warnock, I think it was though) from him saying how he loves the Championship, and it's his level, or something along those lines.

I mean he took charge at Cardiff, who I would personally class as more difficult to manage following all the Tan nonsense that went on. 

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8 minutes ago, toddy said:

Thought we already had?

Lots of great number 2's out there that couldn't make a number 1, he isn't unique!

Top of the League at Xmas .

Who is arguing with that then. 

You know what I think about Clement he did not get enough time at Derby did he. 

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1 hour ago, WhiteHorseRam said:

Ah ...... but ....

Would playing turgid 4-1-4-1 and winning every game 1-0 be classed as 'decent football'? Would be for many if promotion followed, but many would moan and await disaster.

Finishing (abruptly) in 7th or 8th spot I also find b***dy annoying.

I also have to say I don't know what the problem is. I have won the Champions League with Derby on FIFA twice running and it wasn't that tricky.:thumbsup:

It all depends on expectations. If I was Derby manager I would expect a decent kitty and great supportive facilities. I could bring in some quality players and get them playing entertaining football. Not every week. Unless you're Barcelona that's not possible but on a fairly regular basis.

Turgid 1-0 wins I wouldn't be happy with. I might get promoted playing that way yes but then you get the situation where you're in the Prem and still playing the same way but NOT getting results and success. I'd much rather do it properly first time around and give fans what they are paying for.

If I finished 8th in the Championship for a couple of years then ok but any longer and I wouldn't be progressing the club so would probably deserve the boot. If I got to the play off final every year and lost then I'd feel hard done by to be sacked.

Derby are a club that have the resources and potential so if you're not at the top end most seasons then you'll be gone. That simple.

Derby aren't Burton or Brentford and should be managed confidently, positively and with excitement. No holding out for narrow wins. Just get the ball down, play, attack and try to win football matches. With the resources they have this should be reasonably easy to achieve for the most part anyway.

Unless your name is Nigel Pearson that is. Anti football.

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