Jump to content

Savage retains captaincy

Day

By Day
in Derby County Forum

Recommended Posts

Day

Day

Posted
Posted

Evergreen Derby County midfielder Robbie Savage will captain the Rams again this season.

Savage, 35, skippered County last season, playing in all 46 Championship matches - 45 of which he started.

Boss Nigel Clough said Savage will lead the side, with Shaun Barker deputy and Stephen Bywater third in line.

Savage told BBC Radio Derby: "That is a huge boost. I must be in his [Clough's} plans again which I think I deserve after last season."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/8835571.stm

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 30
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Day

Day

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Found this article, I agree with most of it apart from Savages media career.......

-------------------------------------------------------

As the season nears we can all put aside our pitchforks, forget about the lack of investment from the board for just a moment and take stock of where we are and what we’ve got going into the Leeds game just two short weeks away.

Then again, maybe that’s a recipe for depression.

On paper, the Rams have an adequate squad - strength in depth at the back, talent in midfield and serious threats up front. Then the injuries reappear; it was said we couldn’t possibly be as unlucky as last season but don’t be too sure – Steven Davies is already out for six months and last night’s friendly saw Dean Moxey and Rob Hulse start the game at centre back.

Missing men Russell Anderson, Dean Leacock, Shaun Barker and Jake Buxton should all be available for roughly the beginning of the season but it doesn’t help the old heart rate when these players are suddenly missing during vitally important periods of pre-season training.

Hopefully we can avoid the problems of last year and if we can then a good season is possible; if the likes of Barker, Leacock, Commons et al miss any significant time then it’s going to be same old same old and you can’t really blame the manager for that.

What you can blame the manager for is treating certain players to a prominence they clearly don’t deserve. I’m talking of course about the decision to give Robbie Savage another go as captain this term instead of transferring the armband to Shaun Barker, which I think we all expecting and hoping for.

Whilst I don't put much stock in the importance of the captain I feel that Savage seems to hold too lofty a perch for no obvious reason - his media outbursts last season were embarrassing and should have resulted in a severe dressing down but the manager appears to make too many concessions for veteran players.

Even this 4-2-3-1 formation, whilst a progressive and interesting idea, is flawed, not because it can't work but because the reason for its birth is tied at least partially to Savage's inability to get about the pitch, necessitating the need for James Bailey to be there to cover the workload - a similar spectacle occurred at the start of last season when Savage played in a three with Stephen Pearson and Paul Green, who could do the running - it looked good in principle but the idea for its inception was based on the need to cover the captains significant shortcomings.

He seems far too interested in being the next Gary Lineker to be an effective leader for this football club as his teammates will surely look to his off-field interests and say his heart isn’t in playing anymore. Shaun Barker or Stephen Bywater should be the captain of Derby County - there can be no argument in my view.

Don’t get me wrong I was impressed with Savage’s contribution to the World Cup and feel he has an excellent career ahead of him but I think it’d be better for him to concentrate on that after he’s retired and focus a bit more on making sure he can keep up with the team this season.

He is clearly a good influence in the dressing room which is why he has kept the armband but on the pitch he will not be able to inspire – just playing in the games doesn’t mean he played well; he may have kept the ball better than most last season but that was mainly because there was no real invention in his play – a characteristic that will hold the team back if he is relied on for forty-six games once more.

For those looking for Savage to be marginalised this season the hope will be that since Clough has named two vice-captains instead of one, it is a sign that whilst Savage may be captain he will still not play all that much. I don’t know, perhaps Nigel is using this to pander to his most experienced and outspoken player, to placate him to the fact that he won’t play as much as the season goes on.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/derbycounty/fb_news.php?storyid=8353&title=robbie_savage_is_no_longer_the_man_for_the_job!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Perky1106

Perky1106

Posted
Posted

I think it's unprofessional to be elevating yourself in your future new career when you're still in your existing one.

He isn't a great player but I think he's keeping the armband due to his constincency and lack of injury. This seems to be abundant in only two members of the whole Derby County squad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Leeds Ram

Leeds Ram

Posted
Posted

savage slows the game down which is good when your in the lead, the problem is he does it all game, which is no good. He didn't make a pass forward all season and ran round like a headless chicken, ruining the shape of the midfield

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Red Elvis

Red Elvis

Posted
Posted
savage slows the game down which is good when your in the lead, the problem is he does it all game, which is no good. He didn't make a pass forward all season and ran round like a headless chicken, ruining the shape of the midfield

Good points, but a headless old chicken?:D and when your in the lead?:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...