Good for Mel

[Birdyabroad]

Apologies if this point has been made in a separate post, but I think it’s worthy of it’s own thread.

I, like the rest of us, was jumping up and down in front of my computer screen yesterday.

After all the doom and gloom surrounding the club, with regards to possible/probable points deductions, it was so good to see a performance like that and a standout role from ‘one of our own’.

I admit that I was one of those who couldn’t see how footy was going to return this season, glad to be wrong on yesterday’s performance.

But, in the middle of all of this, the one man who should have enjoyed it the most is big Mel.

I know he divides fans, the wasted cash on average players, the managerial merry-go-round, etc. Yet what no one can deny is that he has made every decision for what, he felt, was the good of the club; he has backed all of these decisions with his own money.

The poor player purchases, etc, will hurt him a thousand times more than any fan.

So, with Sibley scoring the goals, Bird bossing midfield, Bogle growing into the game and Knight’s stint at the end, hopefully Mel is smiling, hopefully he is seeing the fruit born of his huge investment in the academy.

Hopefully this will help ease the pain for him of what must be a lot of frustration, hopefully this re-energises him and makes him see that some of his recent decisions, cashing in on Lamps, hiring Cocu, hiring class people like Rosenior, negotiating the move for Wayne, trusting the youth may, hopefully, pay dividends.

Here’s a glass of ? to Mel

[Srg]

The academy investment must come as a dual positive for Mel. Not only is it the most profitable and sustainable way to run a club, but when you’re also a fan of the club it is the way which brings the most joy (when it’s successful, obviously). 

We can debate Mel aimlessly for hours but I think you nailed it with the fact he’s made errors but they were all in pursuit of doing the right thing and made in good faith with best of intentions. 

[Leicester Ram]

He’s always out his money where his mouth is. You don’t get as much press for spending 20 million on the academy as you do for spending 2 million on a striker. Half the squad will be academy lads next season.

He’s invested since day one and it’s going to be the lifeblood of the club for years to come. Bogle, Lowe, Bird and Knight would have been an incredible return but Sibley on top of that is breathtaking. There were times earlier this season where I wondered how much better off we were with Mel than when he took over, which is fair with the FFP issues. But despite a lot of drama, his heart’s always been in the right place and it shows.

His last few appointments have been decent (hated Rowett but there’s much worse managers about) and he’s stuck by them. Think he’s finally got the manager he deserves with Cocu.

[Steve How Hard?]

Hopefully the emergence of the academy talent will also help drive the investment we so desperately need. It can only have a positive impact in that direction surely. I'm sure Mel will be using this as an ace card in any negotiations. 

[angieram]

Whenever I have had an opportunity to chat with Mel (at the motorway services or outside an away ground) the two topics that placed a sparkle in Mel's eye have been the Academy and Rams TV. Both are flourishing and it makes all Mel's investment worthwhile. He can feel proud of what he has done at our Club. It's his club too. 

[Ghost of Clough]

It's almost unbelievable to think we aren't far off the day we line-up with Bogle and Lowe as wing-backs and Bird, Knight, Sibley in midfield. Then to top it off, the likes of Ravas, Buchanan, Whittaker are close behind (based on squad involvement so far this season). JML, Trialist, JBrown and Ebosele must fancy their chances of being involved over the next couple of seasons.

Mel's dream is coming true!

[Sparkle]

He deserves some good fortune after all that has happened lately 

[B4ev6is]

I think trying build a club that can one day compete for premership title and one day competeing with the very best.

[LeedsCityRam]

I'm really positive about the direction the club is going in, its been well overdue & Mel takes massive credit for that.

The investment in the Academy has more than paid for itself with the emergence of Bird & Sibley. Firstly as players who I fully believe will take us back up & secondly for the significant money they will fetch when they do eventually leave. 

Going back on my 30 odd years following Derby, Ive never seen us as having a specific identity or plan. Spend big money, slash costs, chuck some kids in, get experience in, play pragmatic football, try to develop an attractive style...endless rinse & repeat with the main denominator being a lack of time to bed in the necessary difficult development.

What Mel has done is to elevate the Academy to a position that it is now integral to the club & its future. Its where we find our players, we develop them & give them first team chances. Its also a very sustainable way to run a club our size. Sure, excellent players will eventually leave us..no matter. The core philosophy never changes, one ex-Academy player leaves, another comes in & we get a shedload of cash to boot. I dont ever want us seen as a chequebook club again.

Mel's choice of Cocu is looking inspired also. A guy who is passionate about playing the right way & developing youth. I hope its a partnership that lasts many years. Bright times ahead, Im very excited.

 

[Spanish]

Still think that if florest and Leeds get prompted it will be a very bitter pill

[Uptherams]

If we could top it all off with a solution to leaking goals from crosses, we'll finish autos next season no problem, with the kids. 

[Will Hughes Hair]

1 hour ago, Spanish said:

Still think that if florest and Leeds get prompted it will be a very bitter pill

Still think if we go up and they both blow it, I'll still be laughing thirty years from now.

[B4ev6is]

3 hours ago, Spanish said:

Still think that if florest and Leeds get prompted it will be a very bitter pill

They wont mate because Derby will be there to stop them.

[europia]

With the young talent doing so well, for me, the enjoyment of watching our team play with style and excitement is the main thing. Reaching the PL isn't everything, especially if you end up in a relegation battle from day one. Better to go up in style and compete with the elite in 2 or 3 seasons time. 

[ram59]

1 hour ago, europia said:

Reaching the PL isn't everything, especially if you end up in a relegation battle from day one. Better to go up in style and compete with the elite in 2 or 3 seasons time. 

We've being saying the same thing for the last 6 years, but it hasn't happened yet. 

[Dimmu]

On 21/06/2020 at 19:56, LeedsCityRam said:

I'm really positive about the direction the club is going in, its been well overdue & Mel takes massive credit for that.

The investment in the Academy has more than paid for itself with the emergence of Bird & Sibley. Firstly as players who I fully believe will take us back up & secondly for the significant money they will fetch when they do eventually leave. 

Going back on my 30 odd years following Derby, Ive never seen us as having a specific identity or plan. Spend big money, slash costs, chuck some kids in, get experience in, play pragmatic football, try to develop an attractive style...endless rinse & repeat with the main denominator being a lack of time to bed in the necessary difficult development.

What Mel has done is to elevate the Academy to a position that it is now integral to the club & its future. Its where we find our players, we develop them & give them first team chances. Its also a very sustainable way to run a club our size. Sure, excellent players will eventually leave us..no matter. The core philosophy never changes, one ex-Academy player leaves, another comes in & we get a shedload of cash to boot. I dont ever want us seen as a chequebook club again.

Mel's choice of Cocu is looking inspired also. A guy who is passionate about playing the right way & developing youth. I hope its a partnership that lasts many years. Bright times ahead, Im very excited.

 

To be honest, Mel wasn't really different before signing Lampard and then Cocu. I hope that that Cocu stays as Mel's recruiting hasn't been very impressive.  It has always seemed to lack direction and I for one has been critical of that as it's very basics of any organization. I hope you're correct and the current vision is here to stay.

[Ellafella]

5 hours ago, Dimmu said:

To be honest, Mel wasn't really different before signing Lampard and then Cocu. I hope that that Cocu stays as Mel's recruiting hasn't been very impressive.  It has always seemed to lack direction and I for one has been critical of that as it's very basics of any organization. I hope you're correct and the current vision is here to stay.

I don’t accept that as a fair criticism of Mel, with all due respect to you @Dimmu. The problem I suspect is that managers have toed the line at interview and then once in situ as Manager haven’t abided by Mel’s overall direction to play the academy lads. Mel deserves great credit for sticking to his guns. He cannot meddle once managers are in post otherwise he gets slammed for micro-management. Cocu is probably the first manager who has followed the directive as Mel has underlined the approach to have 50% of first teamers by 2021 from the Academy hence his rather understanderably short shrift to Radio Derby when he said “why spend £23 MILLION on an Academy and not use it?!”.  Mel is the architect of Sibley’s hat trick and let’s not forget that. Let’s also not forget Darren Wassell in this, who has been the other chief who has built the reality. And let’s remember the stick Cocu got after the 0-3 at Florist when Sibley played. 

[FindernRam]

2 minutes ago, Ellafella said:

I don’t accept that as a fair criticism of Mel, with all due respect to you @Dimmu. The problem I suspect is that managers have toed the line at interview and then once in situ as Manager haven’t abided by Mel’s overall direction to play the academy lads. Mel deserves great credit for sticking to his guns. He cannot meddle once managers are in post otherwise he gets slammed for micro-management. Cocu is probably the first manager who has followed the directive as Mel has underlined the approach to have 50% of first teamers by 2021 from the Academy hence his rather understanderably short shrift to Radio Derby when he said “why spend £23 MILLION on an Academy and not use it?!”.  Mel is the architect of Sibley’s hat trick and let’s not forget that. Let’s also not forget Darren Wassell in this, who has been the other chief who has built the reality. 

I partially agree. However in the seasons when we were pushing for promotion it would have taken a very brave manager to play kids rather than seasoned pros. They would also have been even younger than today and not really ready..

The academy has "matured" just at the time we have a manger who likes nurturing youngsters, and when we don't really have a realistic prospect of promotion or relegation, so can try some out relatively risk free.

IF we make the play-offs and IF injuries allow it will be interesting to see who makes the team then. 

[Dimmu]

1 hour ago, Ellafella said:

I don’t accept that as a fair criticism of Mel, with all due respect to you @Dimmu. The problem I suspect is that managers have toed the line at interview and then once in situ as Manager haven’t abided by Mel’s overall direction to play the academy lads. Mel deserves great credit for sticking to his guns. He cannot meddle once managers are in post otherwise he gets slammed for micro-management. Cocu is probably the first manager who has followed the directive as Mel has underlined the approach to have 50% of first teamers by 2021 from the Academy hence his rather understanderably short shrift to Radio Derby when he said “why spend £23 MILLION on an Academy and not use it?!”.  Mel is the architect of Sibley’s hat trick and let’s not forget that. Let’s also not forget Darren Wassell in this, who has been the other chief who has built the reality. And let’s remember the stick Cocu got after the 0-3 at Florist when Sibley played. 

You might be right. I might be right. We'll never know.

Anyway, bad recruitment of the managers has kept us from developing since Mac1. I certainly agree that Mel has supported the managers he has chosen and that's simply great. If the chosen managers did lie, then Mel had not done his homework very well then, had he?

I actually dare to criticise even more. IMO Mel shouldn't be so heavily involved in managerial recruiting. As a one of the most important acts the club can do, it should definitely be done by the top professionals. I'd compare the importance to the courtcase against EFL, one simply don't go there by himself.

I have to empasize that this has been the only issue I'd critisice Mel's ownership and I fully support him. IMO lack of vision and/or bad recruiting has been our stumbling block lately and that falls to Mel's responsibilities. Last two has been spot on and the vision is clearer now so maybe he has learned from the mistakes? 

Whatever it is, long may it continue.

[Ellafella]

19 minutes ago, FindernRam said:

I partially agree. However in the seasons when we were pushing for promotion it would have taken a very brave manager to play kids rather than seasoned pros. They would also have been even younger than today and not really ready..

The academy has "matured" just at the time we have a manger who likes nurturing youngsters, and when we don't really have a realistic prospect of promotion or relegation, so can try some out relatively risk free.

IF we make the play-offs and IF injuries allow it will be interesting to see who makes the team then. 

Fair point @FindernRam You can’t win anything with kids ?