The run in

[MadAmster]

8 games to go in this Championship season, in which John Eustace has rejuvenated a wafer thin squad in his first 6 games in charge. He has built a structure and shape into the team, both with and without the ball and the future looks bright if we can secure Championship survival. The players look like they would run through a brick wall under this manager and with a further 2.5 weeks of coaching I?m optimistic. JE has said multiple times that we take one game at a time, which is a logical approach and keeps the players focused.

Looking at the bottom eleven teams and their fixtures it is interesting to see that 6 of our remaining 8 are against teams in this group, while Portsmouth only have 2, Oxford 3, Luton 3 and Plymouth 2.

Reasons to be cheerful, part 3

[SithHappens]

I think a betting person would bet on us staying up. Amazing what a difference a week makes. Shame Cardiff pulled off a win otherwise would have been nice going into the break outside the bottom 3

[ramAnag]

8 games to go in this Championship season, in which John Eustace has rejuvenated a wafer thin squad in his first 6 games in charge. He has built a structure and shape into the team, both with and without the ball and the future looks bright if we can secure Championship survival. The players look like they would run through a brick wall under this manager and with a further 2.5 weeks of coaching I?m optimistic. JE has said multiple times that we take one game at a time, which is a logical approach and keeps the players focused.

Looking at the bottom eleven teams and their fixtures it is interesting to see that 6 of our remaining 8 are against teams in this group, while Portsmouth only have 2, Oxford 3, Luton 3 and Plymouth 2.

Reasons to be cheerful, part 3

I’m more optimistic now than I have been since late October about our chances of survival, MA…but it is by no means a gimme.

Without going over old ground about the previous manager, such was the mess that we found ourselves in by the end of January that it is impossible to believe that JE joined without considering the very real prospect of relegation. To do so would have been unbelievably naive.

In the light of recent results and performances I share your hope and ‘reasons to be cheerful’ but, even if the worst happens and we do go down, I’ll still feel more optimistic about Eustace’s ability to rebuild than was previously the case and the fact that Mr. Clowes will no longer be the ‘newbie’ he was in the world of football club ownership can only help. Both will have been on enormous learning curves over the last three years or so and I think we can only benefit from that.

[MadAmster]

I’m more optimistic now than I have been since late October about our chances of survival, MA…but it is by no means a gimme.

Without going over old ground about the previous manager, such was the mess that we found ourselves in by the end of January that it is impossible to believe that JE joined without considering the very real prospect of relegation. To do so would have been unbelievably naive.

In the light of recent results and performances I share your hope and ‘reasons to be cheerful’ but, even if the worst happens and we do go down, I’ll still feel more optimistic about Eustace’s ability to rebuild than was previously the case and the fact that Mr. Clowes will no longer be the ‘newbie’ he was in the world of football club ownership can only help. Both will have been on enormous learning curves over the last three years or so and I think we can only benefit from that.

Pure conjecture, I know but, shortly after the sacking, there was a list of some quality players we missed out on in the January window, some of whom ended up not changing clubs at all. Bad luck or did those players not fancy Warneball?

[Geoff Parkstone]

San you name names?

[MadAmster]

One was the Villa's Louie Barry who went elsewhere and is now out for the season.

John Percy of The Telegraph, who is generally very much ITK, reported that the Rams agreed to a 2 million pound deal with Manchester City for midfielder Jacob Wright. The 19-year-old was set to undergo a medical, only for the transfer to collapse at the last moment.

To add insult to injury, Wright later secured a loan move to Norwich City. That was just one of many transfer deals to fall at the final hurdle, with a loan move for Seville striker Kelechi Iheanacho falling through before he ultimately joined Middlesbrough.

Then, a late attempt to sign West Brom?s John Swift was turned down on deadline day, with further pursuits of Middlesbrough duo Dan Barlaser and Anfernee Dijksteel also ending up in failure too.

[swaledale]

One was the Villa's Louie Barry who went elsewhere and is now out for the season.

John Percy of The Telegraph, who is generally very much ITK, reported that the Rams agreed to a 2 million pound deal with Manchester City for midfielder Jacob Wright. The 19-year-old was set to undergo a medical, only for the transfer to collapse at the last moment.

To add insult to injury, Wright later secured a loan move to Norwich City. That was just one of many transfer deals to fall at the final hurdle, with a loan move for Seville striker Kelechi Iheanacho falling through before he ultimately joined Middlesbrough.

Then, a late attempt to sign West Brom?s John Swift was turned down on deadline day, with further pursuits of Middlesbrough duo Dan Barlaser and Anfernee Dijksteel also ending up in failure too.

By all accounts, Barry would have required a ?1 million fee and 100% wages at ?2ok per week, which is why that didn't proceed. As for the others who knows, but opting to go for teams with a chance of the play offs might be a reason.

[swaledale]

I’m more optimistic now than I have been since late October about our chances of survival, MA…but it is by no means a gimme.

Without going over old ground about the previous manager, such was the mess that we found ourselves in by the end of January that it is impossible to believe that JE joined without considering the very real prospect of relegation. To do so would have been unbelievably naive.

In the light of recent results and performances I share your hope and ‘reasons to be cheerful’ but, even if the worst happens and we do go down, I’ll still feel more optimistic about Eustace’s ability to rebuild than was previously the case and the fact that Mr. Clowes will no longer be the ‘newbie’ he was in the world of football club ownership can only help. Both will have been on enormous learning curves over the last three years or so and I think we can only benefit from that.

Clowes being a "Newbie" is irrelevant, he funds the club and has experienced football people to advise him on football matters. His appointment of Warne as a L1 manager demonstrated that they knew what they were doing. After promotion it was obvious Warne would be given a chance and at first it seemed he might do well. A combination of ill fortune with injuries and unable to recruit in depth hampered him, but ultimately it would seem his one dimensional tactics when under pressure, i.e. set up not to lose rather than go for a win cost him his job.

I know you keep harping on about Clowes as a "newbie", but given there are numerous examples of owners of football clubs knowing very little about owning and running a football club from the football side of things who have been successful, its clear that in depth knowledge of football isn't a pre requisite for success.

[ramAnag]

Clowes being a "Newbie" is irrelevant, he funds the club and has experienced football people to advise him on football matters. His appointment of Warne as a L1 manager demonstrated that they knew what they were doing. After promotion it was obvious Warne would be given a chance and at first it seemed he might do well. A combination of ill fortune with injuries and unable to recruit in depth hampered him, but ultimately it would seem his one dimensional tactics when under pressure, i.e. set up not to lose rather than go for a win cost him his job.

I know you keep harping on about Clowes as a "newbie", but given there are numerous examples of owners of football clubs knowing very little about owning and running a football club from the football side of things who have been successful, its clear that in depth knowledge of football isn't a pre requisite for success.

We disagree that it’s ‘irrelevant’ but so be it.
Either way, that’s what he was and my comment was actually a positive. It is my opinion that Eustace will prove to be a better manager and I know you keep ‘harping on’ about me ‘harping on’ but Clowes was a ‘newbie’ in terms of football club ownership - fact - and he will have learned a great deal over the last three seasons which will, I believe, benefit us.

[swaledale]

We disagree that it?s ?irrelevant? but so be it.
Either way, that?s what he was and my comment was actually a positive. It is my opinion that Eustace will prove to be a better manager and I know you keep ?harping on? about me ?harping on? but Clowes was a ?newbie? in terms of football club ownership - fact - and he will have learned a great deal over the last three seasons which will, I believe, benefit us.

Its not a case of disagreeing that Clowes being a "newbie" is irrelevant, its a fact as evidence of others who own football clubs and are what you term "newbies" demonstrates. The owner, provides the funds and runs the business side of matters, their experience of owning a football club is irrelevant.

I could list several examples which shows this to be the case. But lets take Mel Morris, he was "newbie" but achieved success if measured by league position and the fact he got the club to a play off final!

Or lets take the middle eastern owners of Man City, how much experience did they have of owning a football club? None, they had the finance and employed people with the requisite knowledge and experience of football management and player recruitment etc.

Furthermore, it hasn't been Clowes lack of experience of owning Derby that has been the issue, its been the fact that he had to rebuild the club out of administration, with the added restriction of EFL controls on transfers and wages for the first two seasons.

Clowes may well have learned more about running the club, though I suspect his business acumen was fine in any case, but to date I would say its difficult to identify where his judgement has been awry. Yes it is a fact he was a "newbie" owner, though not like some without a knowledge of football even if only a from a fans point of view. But given there are also numerous examples of owners with more experience of owning a football club who haven't achieved what he has in under 3 years, on what evidence do you base your view that his "newbie" status is or has been an issue?

The only people who would criticise Clowes are those fans who have quickly forgotten the base from which he rebuilt the club and who blithely assume that he can just throw money at a problem , whether that be buying players or replacing the manager. Certainly he will have realised that owning a football club like Derby is how to make a small fortune, from the large one he invested!!