Well Done Nigel And The Team!

[GboroRam]

Pushing top 6 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />

Pushing top 6 isn't the same as top 6. If there's teams within 2-3 points of the teams at the top 6, I'd say they're "pushing top 6". IOW, making them look over their shoulder at the teams chasing. I'd say we could end up pushing top 6. We also could end up something like 15th. We're that inconsistent. Chances are we'll be solidly in the middle somewhere though.

[Bris Vegas]

Pushing top 6 means you've been in and out throught the season and on the heels of those in the top 6.. Being in midtable for the whole season, mainly fluctuating between 9th and 16th due to poor runs and good runs and then having another mini purple patch and being 5 points off (6 if you incude GD) with 7 games doesn't count..

If you're going to add us in this list.. You mayaswell add Watford aswell.. They're also 'pushing top 6'

Yeh, sounds stupid now doesn't it.

[ramblur]

Just a few things noticed on here re thoughts and how we are fairing

Squad not good enough - squad pushing for outside chance of top 6.

board lied to us - (going to hate typing this as don't like the board) promised a side pushing top 6 at present that is the case

Clough/staff not good enough - I think we have the second youngest average age with probably the least championship experience in the league yet have got a squad who many say not good enough pushing for top 6.

Want Gadsby back - If we had not been sold to GSE (going to hate this again lol) would we be in administration now looking at how other clubs have suffered over the last 12 months do we want to risk that for the future.

Would not trust Clough with money - Look at Shackell, Fielding, Barker, Brayford, Ward et al. This squad pushing top 6. Not many big signings not many big earners so why not trust him to spend a couple of million on a player.

Someone mentioned Neil Warnock - Got Sheff Utd up and relegated the season after won a £30million compensation package from WHU yet Sheffield Utd did not have free funds to get themselves straight back up and ended up being relegated. Got QPR up and sacked in the first season in premiership. Why bring a manager in for promotion only and then have to rebuild again where is the logic in that.

In the "Cashback" DET piece (which I've mentioned and linked twice previously) Glick said that they were going to put a side together that they expected to be competing in the top 6.

Why would we have been in administration if GSE hadn't come in.GSE oversaw the expensive axis of players running from Sav to Porter-you can't say that the LOG would have replicated this.If a few quality additions had been added to the LOG squad,then the position would have been sustainable (and the debt reduced to manageable proportions),and I've no doubt we would probably have performed somewhat better.The unsustainable 08/09 wage bill was of the current administration's making (on the grounds that somewhere along the line of their 19 recruits lay a cut off,sustainable point,so at some stage they went beyond that point).

In my absence from the forum I noticed the article by "Swiss Rambler" was posted (whilst not posting,I was able to keep roughly up to speed via short reading sessions) and saw the salivating from the usual quarters over it.I bit very hard and resisted the urge to respond.Last month,rather than challenge it on here,I decided to leave a comment on the site itself.After 6 attempts at trying to decipher the 2 words,as part of the anti robot process,a message came up to say that my comment would be visible after "authorisation".I kept checking the site,only to find that my comment hadn't been published....until I checked again a couple of days ago.

Originally,the comments followed directly on from the article,but now they are hidden and you have to click on a link to get them.When you click the link,you'll find that the comments again follow the article (so why hide them in the first place-answers on a postcode)-after several weeks SR hasn't come up with an answer (though I notice he's cleverly arranged the comments in such a way that his reply to a preceeding comment might be loosely construed as an answer to my own.)

[url=http://swissramble.blogspot.com/search/label/Derby%20County]http://swissramble.blogspot.com/search/label/Derby%20County

[curb]

Pushing top 6

Pushing top 6

Pushing top 6

Doesn't work for me 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />

[PBW Ram]

Pushing top 6 means you've been in and out throught the season and on the heels of those in the top 6.. Being in midtable for the whole season, mainly fluctuating between 9th and 16th due to poor runs and good runs and then having another mini purple patch and being 5 points off (6 if you incude GD) with 7 games doesn't count..

If you're going to add us in this list.. You mayaswell add Watford aswell.. They're also 'pushing top 6'

Yeh, sounds stupid now doesn't it.

Can you remember at what point we dropped out of the top 6 BV?

If a team is NOT OUTSIDE the top 6 for one third of it's games is that the same as being mid table fluctuating between 9th-16th for the whole season?

[duncanjwitham]

We were in the top 6 for the first 14 games.

[lil_miss_s]

Gadsby is not and never will be the answer to any of Derby County's problems.

[Ambitious]

if we finished within 5 points of the play offs, is that a bad season? should clough get sacked? 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ph34r' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':ph34r:' />

[Martyn]

In my absence from the forum I noticed the article by "Swiss Rambler" was posted (whilst not posting,I was able to keep roughly up to speed via short reading sessions) and saw the salivating from the usual quarters over it.I bit very hard and resisted the urge to respond.Last month,rather than challenge it on here,I decided to leave a comment on the site itself.

-after several weeks SR hasn't come up with an answer (though I notice he's cleverly arranged the comments in such a way that his reply to a preceeding comment might be loosely construed as an answer to my own.)

To be fair to him: -

1) the layout of the page will be down to what templates he can pick on Blogspot

2) You posted your comment (I'm guessing which it was as I don't think you put your name on it?) on Feb 20, 2012 whereas he posted the article November 2, 2011 and last posted on comment on it on the 3rd, so it is a little but old to be expecting him to reply to comments on!

'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

[Martyn]

@curb & Bris Vegas

If you fail to consider out of 46 games...

P Team Pld Pts

6 Birmingham City 38 60

12 Derby County 39 55

to not be "pushing top 6", then the mind boggles! And I thought Nigel was being criticised for not being positive enough...

Bris, do you know that by your definition Birmingham don't even quality as "pushing top 6"? 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

[ramblur]

To be fair to him: -

1) the layout of the page will be down to what templates he can pick on Blogspot

2) You posted your comment (I'm guessing which it was as I don't think you put your name on it?) on Feb 20, 2012 whereas he posted the article November 2, 2011 and last posted on comment on it on the 3rd, so it is a little but old to be expecting him to reply to comments on!

'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

1) When you now click on "comments" you get the full page followed by all the comments (which is the situation that originally applied),so why was there a need to revamp over just 1 comment?The layout can't have much to do with it as he's managed to display the article followed by all comments (or am I missing something here).

2)Having failed 6 of those ridiculously cryptic robot tests,my comment was an awful long time in getting 'authorised' and published,so he's obviously read the comment (and he's also arranged it into the position he wanted).I suspect the answer is that he didn't like the rather awkward questions-he might either have to dispute what I'd said or amend elements of the blog,and doing nothing might have been the more palatable option.

On a general note,people should be wary of tables showing wages and turnover because both can contain exceptional items.As well as turnover being distorted by obvious things such as chute payments,decent cup runs can distort figures quite heavily (as in 08/09 for us).On the wages side,as I pointed out,promotion bonuses (and even perhaps play off bonuses) can also heavily distort,and it should be accepted that these figures represent total wages-it's impossible to discern players' wages out of it.

[curb]

@curb & Bris Vegas

If you fail to consider out of 46 games...

P Team Pld Pts

6 Birmingham City 38 60

12 Derby County 39 55

to not be "pushing top 6", then the mind boggles! And I thought Nigel was being criticised for not being positive enough...

Bris, do you know that by your definition Birmingham don't even quality as "pushing top 6"? 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

Aye you're right, Brum must be looking at us and shitting themselves.

[Asanovic]

What I actually said was, I'd rather give money to a Warnock (not necessarily him but I wouldn't be upset at the thought) than to Clough. I don't think many managers would do a lot better than NC has (but I'm not naive enough to say nobody could; I'm sure plenty of managers would get us playing in a more attractive style) given the constraints he's operating in.

Unless someone comes forward with £50m to buy out the current owners and have cash to spare to invest (otherwise you're at square one anyway) I think we might as well make do with what we've got. If owners take over with more money, I'd personally like to see a new manager given the rebuilding job. Someone with a track record in getting teams at this level promoted, with a football style that aims to entertain.

Agree, completely.

[Donny Ram]

Gadsby and GSE have too many differences for a deal to be likely, being a Derby fan is not enough to make a good CEO / COO / President etc, the future of football is different and we need good business people at the helm.

So, what changes do we face as a Championship club?

1) The obvious one quoted by most people is the wage cap, undoubtably this should favour Derby with a larger fan base than most other Championship clubs.

2) TV revenue cuts, the current reduction is only the first of a series of cuts that will correct the value of The Championship as a brand. In short each club will be in the region of £1m worse off per season.

3) Falling attendances are hitting the vast majority of clubs, one or two exceptions for those challenging at the top end of the league exists, this falling trend is expected to continue next season, most clubs are anticipating a 5% to 10% drop as the recession continues to bite.

4) The Premier League imposed change in transfer policy for youith players will see Championship realise less for their best young players. Derby haven't developed many good young players over the years but are now starting to see several come through the ranks. I'm not sure if we will see a change in policy but certainly two Chairmen of lower league clubs have told me that they will search for the cast offs of Premier League clubs rather than develop their own youth players.

5) Sensible transfer fees with sensible wages are essential, no more silly big pay offs to buy players out of their remaining contracts, or having to contribute large sums towards their loan spells at other clubs. This is the main argument for many fans who see the lack of big transfers as a lack of ambition, the two issues are quite different as any business person knows. 5 year plans set your strategy, sure a certain ammount of investment is required but often this is R&D (similar to investing in our youth team), avoid the bad contracts and you have a fighting chance (i.e. don't pay over the odds on transfers and wages).

6) Have a settled management team that understands the boards objectives and works with them to deliver the joint plan, a manager spitting their dummy out in public doesn't bode well.

Having attended the very first fans forum under our current owners I believe we were told that a sensible balance had to be found, sure money would be available for transfers but the wage bill had to be reduced as well. All the nonesense over Barkeresque type fees that has ensued is a crazy, you can pay big money and get a flop (Clod Davies etc), equally important is spotting a bargain and developing your own talent. Bailey, Brayford, Ward and Bryson have all arrived on sensible fees and have been good buys, Hendrick, Ball and Bennett have broken in to the squad and a couple of others should make their way in next year.

Are we better placed than we have been in recent years? I believe we are, we have lower debt, young self developed talent, a youthful squad and the makings of a team that will achieve better things.

Should we hope for a Gadsby return? No thanks, I would prefer to stay with a board who have brought stability to our club at a time when other clubs are trying to get to grips with their debt mountains.

[curb]

Aye you're right, Brum must be looking at us and shitting themselves.

Edit;

That wasn't even the quote he made, he said competing IN the top 6;

"We expect to put a side together that is capable of competing in the top six and we hope that will be self-evident with the moves that we make."

and so there's no ambiguity he even says the same thing twice.

[url=http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Cashback-offer-table-Rams-fans/story-11564984-detail/story.html]http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Cashback-offer-table-Rams-fans/story-11564984-detail/story.html

[Bris Vegas]

Can you remember at what point we dropped out of the top 6 BV?

If a team is NOT OUTSIDE the top 6 for one third of it's games is that the same as being mid table fluctuating between 9th-16th for the whole season?

After winning 6 out of the first 8 and being on 18 points... 1/3 of our total points tally after 8 games, we've played another another 31 since, picking up only 37 points...

I do remember being in the top 6 until that time.. Because of our flying start.. After that we won twice in 15 games or somethng like that, is that 'competing' in the top 6? It was inevitable that we would leave the playoffs, and inevitable that we wouldn't get back in again.. That is not pushing the top 6.. After our first 8 games we've been heading out of the playoffs and never looked like getting back in, how is that 'pushing the top 6'

Surely pushing the top 6 would be fluctuating in and out like Hull City and Blackpool.. If you want to say we've been pushing the top 6, you have to also include Watford and Leicester City..

You're comment regarding 1/3 of the season in the top 6.. We all know the league table is irrelevant until at least X-mas time.. You didn't honestly think we were going to be playoff material after the first couple of months did you?

I even mentioned after the 2nd game at Watford that this team would be midtable, and then I was basically criticised for not getting carried away with our best start for 50 years and not thinking we're playoff material ..

[Martyn]

1) When you now click on "comments" you get the full page followed by all the comments (which is the situation that originally applied),so why was there a need to revamp over just 1 comment?The layout can't have much to do with it as he's managed to display the article followed by all comments (or am I missing something here).

I'm not sure to be honest, it all looks like a pretty normal comment thread at the bottom, they are often hidden until you click a button, it may be automatically done by the blogging system when the articles get so old. I really doubt swissrambler did anything to alter how they're viewed.

2)Having failed 6 of those ridiculously cryptic robot tests,my comment was an awful long time in getting 'authorised' and published,so he's obviously read the comment (and he's also arranged it into the position he wanted).I suspect the answer is that he didn't like the rather awkward questions-he might either have to dispute what I'd said or amend elements of the blog,and doing nothing might have been the more palatable option.

I hate those captcha tests too, I'm of sound mind and body and still can't get them all right!

Regarding your comment, although he may have authorised it to appear, the positioning would be based on which comment you clicked "reply" on.

Blog comments aren't really like a forum and I wouldn't particularly expect a reply on them.

[Martyn]

Aye you're right, Brum must be looking at us and shitting themselves.

Comparing our current form I'm not surprised! 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

[PBW Ram]

yeah but no but yeah but... come on Bris, you did clearly say for the whole season.

It's on two threads bonnie lad.

You can't just dismiss that part of the season.

[RotherhamRam]

Pushing top 6 means for me being in or around with a chance at the business end of the season of being in the playoffs.

Sure Blackpool fans were saying they were pushing for top 6 going into the last 8 games. But don't think they had been in the top 6 up until the last few games.

Not going to dispute with you Bris cos no matter what I write you try and belittle, mock and just try and get me to bite so not worth it.

Anyone who is within 6pts at this stage will all be considering pushing for that 6th spot (described on the football highlights as Derby keep their outside chance of a playoff spot alive) as the likes of Brum and Co still have the results that come out of the blue and put them back. Leeds losing 7-3 to Forest, Brum think lost either the last game or the game before 4-0, WHU looked like automatic favourites but look like they could end up in the lottery of playoffs which could spell disaster for them in the future.

If people do not agree that being only 5pts off 6th with 24pts to play is not pushing for that top 6 finish then thats your choice. My choice is to say that we are pushing for it. In respect of someone saying Clough does not think we are good enough for top 6 does not mean they don't think its possible at the moment. The latest sounds coming from Derby is that of tentative talks of playoffs DCFC Garner interview. They are targeting 60pts first then see what happens from there. So basically setting small, achievable goals once met move it on.

Call me deluded, crazy, nuts, seeing through rose tinted glasses etc as some on here have described me over the last month or so but I am happy fan not being worried of relegation and looking up the table instead of who is behind us. Not having to look at the likes of Portsmouth, Doncaster and Coventry results. I am enjoying looking for Forest results knowing they are behind us and not in front of us.

Its a shame that some key players have missed good size chunks of the season.