Leeds Ram Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I have been going for 10 years now, but I am starting to fall out of love with this once great club. Liatening to Nigel talk about how there wasn't much difference between us and saints today, despite the obvious 4-0 defeat just emphasises where we are as a club. We have no ambition, seemingly no money and a dwindling support who seem apathetic to the demise of the club, or are dressing it up. The 10 year plan was doomed from the first bastardized moment they dreamt it up, unlike American sports we have an actual league system and a different attitude. We are currently 3 years in to the plan and we have achieved some goals, 1) cut down the wage budget 2) gone from relegation scrappers playing god awful football, too playing as an aggressively mediocre boring midtable side which looks like it is going nowhere, by the way we still have a losing record this season. 3)We have also brought in some acadamy players to suppliment the first team, yet even with this bunch we don't look great, 4) the manager despite struggling hasn't been sacked. On paper it doesn't look brilliant, less money and low league positions tends to mean less fans (despite the group on offers). This tends to lead to less players wanting to come here and us munching off our aggresively mediocre academy for first teamers, and let's be honest there is a no real gurantee our academy will produce top class players. This could lead to a death spiral and end us up as Coventry, this is my worst fear and it looks like a possibility. We are a long way short of the consistency and quality needed to challenge for the playoffs and it doesn't look like it will change soon. These are some of the reasons why I am simply not that bothered anymore. I used to be extremely passionate and live for Derby, now it is just something to do on the weekend. This is the greatest crime a football club can commit, to turn it's supporters off, does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramblur Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I've always said I've been intrigued by what's been happening.Can what they're attempting to do really work,as failure would inevitably lead to the vicious circle.The trouble is,I think we've been given a taste of what's likely to happen in the next window-we'll be looking for a proven goalscorer,but be trying to land one on the cheap.Will fans renew on the offchance that we uncover a jewell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I and the people I go with are getting p1ssed off with the direction we're going under this board. With one exception we're behind Clough, but are all against the board. Most will not renew this time. All agree the pre match banter is much better than going to watch the football! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianbeal Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Totally agree with you, I feel they have took the sparkle out of the club. Such a shame, it's like they want us to get promoted by fluke with the least money spent as poss, then reap the parachute payments and make us an embarrassment again! I fear if we did ever get promoted cause like last time we would need to spend 10+ mil. NO AMBITION Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Teale Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I will never fall out of love with the club but im bored of watching the rubbish served up by the team and thats why all my mates now wont go as the have had enough of it. I dont like the way the manager gets the team to play or the way the very rich board we have wont invest more of there pennies into the playing side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.brayford Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Oh to win 140mill on the euros wat I would do for derby! 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I will always go, however for the first time in many a year the people running this club have drained all enthusiasm I have for derby when going to matches. Even through the bad years, which included the maxwell and three amigos, I could see a light at the end of the tunnel, with this current crop I feel that we are being run and owned by people who bought into something that given their time again would not have done so. The problem being that they don't want to sell, or they want a roi that they are just not going to get, and they have decided that the are no longer going to invest, and some don't even attend more than a couple of games per season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rams1884 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I sent this to Andy Appleby an hour ago-no response yet! Very close in sentiment to first poster Hi Andy I am sure you don't need me to spell out to you how close you are to a tipping point in Rams support. I am old enough to have seen off numerous Derby County boards in the past so can tell when the tide has finally turned. You have to wake up and smell the coffee. You have to speculate to accumulate. Its quite simple. Your assets are on the pitch and in the stand; without those 2 key ingredients your myriad of other investment opportunities and income streams within DCFC PLC are pointless and worthless when season after season the fan base continues to dwindle in the face of ever more, endless cost cutting, higher ticket prices and in the main crap football. I am sure someone as clever and succesful as you cleraly undertsands this but I really dont get what you are doing here? It's the law of diminishing returns with zero sustainability as we are rapidly turning into a Coventry (go to the Ricoh Arena one match day and see what Pride Park will be like very soon a souless, sanatorium to drab mediocrity) Any decent emerging playes will get snapped up and leave to go to a club with more ambition and stated purpose. We have become a pointless, ambitionless, worthless club of nonentities. This is Derby County we are talking about, its rich histrory and heritage; you have managed to destroy the last vestiges of credibility and hope I and many others ever had in this once great and brilliant club and all its tradition. Its not that I am desperate to get back in the Prem as I hate that league and is so uncompetitive, just that we have become a useless, drab, boring football team with no buzz, no excitement, no ambition, no plan, no clear purpose, no obvious tactics off the pitch and certainly none on it. What's the point of a healthy balance sheet if the fans are leaving in droves, the team becoming a laughing stock? I really like Nigel and so want him to do well but feel he is also part of the problem as he is so negative in formation, seems to be tactically inept and is just be a yes man to you guys. Your model is not self-sustaining but is clearly self-serving for the investors-I don't actually think you have ambition beyond trying to maintain a steady state, a steady cash return. You really dont get the football culture here do you even after 3 years plus? I am not asking for a lot of investment, just more transparency; small amounts of cash can go a long way. The fans don't believe anymore, in your rhetoric, spin, bullshit-call it what you want- but worst of all they no longer believe in the team, the manager, the players, the point. You have killed of any hope, any ambition, any buzz. Thats the tipping point. You wont be here come Christmas 2012 mark my words. Next season the average gate will have dipped below 20,000 easily. You will either have been hounded out of town with your ten gallon hats on or you would have sold up which is what I feel you may be working towards anyway. I will happily forward this back over to you when it comes to pass. Good riddance and regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianRam Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I have more of an issue with NC & Co and his odd player selections/falling out with players etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curb Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I have been going for 10 years now, but I am starting to fall out of love with this once great club. Liatening to Nigel talk about how there wasn't much difference between us and saints today, despite the obvious 4-0 defeat just emphasises where we are as a club. We have no ambition, seemingly no money and a dwindling support who seem apathetic to the demise of the club, or are dressing it up. The 10 year plan was doomed from the first bastardized moment they dreamt it up, unlike American sports we have an actual league system and a different attitude. We are currently 3 years in to the plan and we have achieved some goals, 1) cut down the wage budget 2) gone from relegation scrappers playing god awful football, too playing as an aggressively mediocre boring midtable side which looks like it is going nowhere, by the way we still have a losing record this season. 3)We have also brought in some acadamy players to suppliment the first team, yet even with this bunch we don't look great, 4) the manager despite struggling hasn't been sacked. On paper it doesn't look brilliant, less money and low league positions tends to mean less fans (despite the group on offers). This tends to lead to less players wanting to come here and us munching off our aggresively mediocre academy for first teamers, and let's be honest there is a no real gurantee our academy will produce top class players. This could lead to a death spiral and end us up as Coventry, this is my worst fear and it looks like a possibility. We are a long way short of the consistency and quality needed to challenge for the playoffs and it doesn't look like it will change soon. These are some of the reasons why I am simply not that bothered anymore. I used to be extremely passionate and live for Derby, now it is just something to do on the weekend. This is the greatest crime a football club can commit, to turn it's supporters off, does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? Did you say Coventry??????? 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' /> Actually that to me would be worse than turning into Portsmouth, at least they gave it a go and won something. That's a good question to ask the happy clappers who sit there swallowing everything, would you rather we turned into Coventry watching 3rd division rubbish in a 1/2 empty stadium? Cue another 3000 word essay from Rotherham Ram saying what a wonderful bloke Nigel is and what a fantastic job the board are doing in such difficult circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obi1Kenobi0 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I think this is wider issue than DCFC, football in general has become less of a level playing field year on year. Paradoxically, the sky money that washes through the Prem has created a disjointed and unequal system and has actually brought as many disadvantages as it has benefits. Thus, clubs spending beyond their means to win it and stay in it and in the Championships case trying to get there. FFP rules that take 5 years to kick doesn't help the here and the now, which is where most fans mindset is. The board have subsidised DCFC to a degree, there are no other investors in the wings. They don't want to chuck millions at it like other clubs. Yes, you could argue the speculate to accumulate approach but that would undermine the work already done. Prudence is not exciting. I think Nigel has done an OK job and the board have steadied the ship. We will lose 2-3 on the bounce and then probably win 2 or 3. Such is the league. I can understand fans who are unhappy as we all remember better days. It grates to see clubs in the Prem who are less well supported and without the history etc. I think I started to fall out of love with football when only a handful of clubs could win the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramexpat Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Is this the boards fault or Nigels ? Nigels Fault, the board gave Nigel money to spend pre-season and apart from Shackell in my opinion he has signed crap players, Tyson , Mcguire , B Davies and Theo, can prob add a couple more to the crap list , also the great fantastic loan signings he has got us, Noble was amazing on both occasions nice ambition Nigel, Kilbane worked out a treat , and yes i know Jamie Ward is ok, but Nigel Picks the team, the tactics the formation, how long are fans going to carry on with the "give nigel time" story , for me he has had time, Boards fault They instantly set a wage cap bring stabilty to the books which is understandable but they have not invested enough in the club, its clear they have 0 ambition for the club, they have got all the high earners out of the club now and want Nigel to bring the youngsters thorugh the ranks why !! maybe because they think we can eventually get big sums for the likes of Bennett, Ball and Hendrick like Southampton did for Walcott and Chamberlain, from a buisness point of view they are here to make money not friends To sum up , Clough out , Board out , dont forget to tek ya bins out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenportram Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Clough may set the formation and tactics but the players are the ones who fail to put into practice on occasions. Today for example Clough was berating players for hoofing it upfield telling them to get it down and play. Not really what you'd expect from the manager if he had told them to play hoof ball. Not defending the performance it was still ***** apart from Roberts who was mildly turdlike . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Éire Ram Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I think this is wider issue than DCFC, football in general has become less of a level playing field year on year. Paradoxically, the sky money that washes through the Prem has created a disjointed and unequal system and has actually brought as many disadvantages as it has benefits. Thus, clubs spending beyond their means to win it and stay in it and in the Championships case trying to get there. FFP rules that take 5 years to kick doesn't help the here and the now, which is where most fans mindset is. The board have subsidised DCFC to a degree, there are no other investors in the wings. They don't want to chuck millions at it like other clubs. Yes, you could argue the speculate to accumulate approach but that would undermine the work already done. Prudence is not exciting. I think Nigel has done an OK job and the board have steadied the ship. We will lose 2-3 on the bounce and then probably win 2 or 3. Such is the league. I can understand fans who are unhappy as we all remember better days. It grates to see clubs in the Prem who are less well supported and without the history etc. I think I started to fall out of love with football when only a handful of clubs could win the league. I can think of one.. but whether the fans would welcome him back is another question entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyram Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I can understand how you feel Yr - but surely you mean that you're falling out of love with how the club is being run - and not the club itself? That will always be there won't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 I can understand how you feel Yr - but surely you mean that you're falling out of love with how the club is being run - and not the club itself? That will always be there won't it? I question that now LR, The way the club is being run is leaving me apathetic to the club itself. I am going to renew because it's a force of habit but I don't have the passion I did for the club. Hopefully the tide will turn and the spark will be back (it has never gone before), and I suppose I am still going and I think I always will, so maybe your assessement had some truth in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Always thought supporting Derby was like a roller coaster ride. A club of massive potential yo-yoing between crisis and glory. Before GSE took over, every season as a Derby fan was a promotion push or relegation battle. This is awful. Every decent run ends like this - the same problems, the same mistakes, and the same excuses. Then we have the bad runs. But they're not bad enough to make the season interesting, like a relegation battle, say. We'll plod along, we'll secure our status in this league in March and then we'll twiddle our thumbs for the next five months. Am I falling out of love with this club? No. But I feel like we need to spend some time apart. The relationship needs some work and maybe if we both had our own space, we can make things work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastKentRam Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 It's just all so predictable at the moment, i even had a few quid on 3-0 and 4-0 Southampton today, knew i was gunna collect as soon as the first goal went in. Nigel is boring as f*ck, heard the same **** come out of his mouth and seen the same style of play for years now and we're no better off. Travelling to watch Derby in the last few years has just been an insult, a lot of people put in incredible amounts of time, effort and money to see us try and defend and usually get beat. Was thinking of going to Birmingham but what's the point, that's me done till Brighton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abu Derby Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 We, as fans of Derby County, aren't the only supporters that are feeling very pessimistic about their teams chances in this division. The Championship is slowly turning into Premier League mark II whereby the majority of the clubs are just happy to remain where they are. We now fall into this category. Look at the current top eight clubs - with the exception of Southampton and Cardiff, they have all recently been in the Premier league. In my opinion the new FFP rules, championed by Glick, will make things even worse. The relegated clubs are getting up to £48 over FOUR years to "soften the blow" of relegation. This will count towards their income; they will therefore be able to spend more than the rest of us. This current board of directors seem to think that we can carry on without any further (or very limited) investment on the pitch, nurturing homegrown players, and then praying for a miracle that somehow we can be one of the lucky three clubs that cross over the finishing line. Let's be honest - it isn't going to happen anytime soon. I've been watching Derby for 35 years and I can honestly say that the game in general has slowly but surely been ruined. What the hell happened to our parachute payments? Why weren't we one of the front runners for promotion following on from relegation? There is always one exception to every rule, and in this case it's Derby County. Now, where's by pistol ........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianRam Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 What happens to the parachute payment if a club goes up before they expire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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