Derby Sack Clough!

[weymouthPIE]

Breaking news just coming out: Derby County have this evening sacked manager Nigel Clough.

 

I for one am stunned, I didn't see this coming at all. To the best of my knowledge, he still had the backing of the fans and after spending a few years re-building the club, sacking him so early in a season when there appears to be hope of a play-off push it very odd indeed.

 

Be very interested to hear what @super_ram makes of it all

[MuddyPatchPie]

Very surprised by that decision!

[super_ram]

Too stunned to comment at the moment.

[Fan of Big Tone]

Stunned is an understatement for me I am absolutely flabbergasted, that is the last thing I expected. I honestly can't believe it.

[weymouthPIE]

If you were going to put money on the first championship manager to be sacked this season, Nigel would have probably been down near the very bottom of the list!

[Chris]

I'm annoyed and I care very little for Derby's board. He's done very well and by the sounds of it, they have been unlucky.

Derby received praise by today's action.

Should not have happened.

[super_ram]

Just been listening to a special phone-in on Radio Derby.If you ignore the obvious idiots there were some very good comments for and against the sacking but the bad timing decision was unanimous.Rams play Ipswich at home next Tuesday-If we had lost with Nigel in charge I would understand the sacking more.If we won we would be back up the league.There have been several names mentioned for taking over-Tony Pullis,Di Canio(god forbid)Steve Maclaren(Oh please,no) but whoever takes over will have the same problem-very little money.Thank you Nigel for what you did and good luck for your future.The owners/board  need to make a good choice now or the fans who attend  Derby matches will really be letting their feelings be known.Revolt is in the air!

[weymouthPIE]

Replacing the football playing Clough with the hoof it and hope Tony Pulis would be awful! To be honest, I wouldn't fancy Di Canio either for reasons I mentioned in the thread about his sacking. McClaren I don't think would be such a bad appointment. He transformed Middlesbrough although the England job came far too soon for him. He had success with Wolfsburg in Germany and FC Twente in Holland. I thought he could have had success over the river but I thought he was treated awfully by the club as a whole in the sense that he was not backed financially as he had been promised, and the fans never gave him the time.

 

He's a good manager - he's proved that. But as with anyone, people always remember the negatives. That's football in general isn't it? David Seaman was a fantastic goalkeeper, yet what does everyone remember him for? Being lobbed by Ronaldinho at the 2002 World Cup and being lobbed by Nayim from halfway.

 

Brian Clough - still to this day the best manager England never had, yet more people seem to remember him for his outspokenness and drinking habbits.

 

Kevin Keegan was a cult hero at Newcastle and built the best team they've had in memory, yet everyone remembers him for his "I would love it if we beat them" rant.

 

It's sad, but true.

[super_ram]

Very well put,Weymouth.It's really just the timing of the sacking that puzzles me.Apparently the hierarchy a my team hope to have a new manager in place for next Tuesdays match against Ipswich.This suggests to me that a new manager was already being considered before todays match.What would the situation be if Derby had thrashed that lot.There has been a lot of criticism aimed at Nigel due to the poor home form and other things were mentioned in the phone-in but the whole episode saddens me.

[weymouthPIE]

Very well put,Weymouth.It's really just the timing of the sacking that puzzles me.Apparently the hierarchy a my team hope to have a new manager in place for next Tuesdays match against Ipswich.This suggests to me that a new manager was already being considered before todays match.What would the situation be if Derby had thrashed that lot.There has been a lot of criticism aimed at Nigel due to the poor home form and other things were mentioned in the phone-in but the whole episode saddens me.

It's weird isn't it. Last season Derby had one of the football league's best home records but couldn't seem to buy a win on the road. So far this season they have a very strong away record but can't buy a win on home soil! Football eh?

 

I read the statement that the club released and the bit where they said the search for a new manager is well underway got me thinking. As you mentioned, they hope to have someone in by Tuesday so were the board simply waiting  for an excuse to sack Nigel? Very sad episode & you truly hope that isn't the case.

 

I read a Tweet earlier which made me laugh - "I know what Brian Clough would make of his son Nigel being sacked by Derby. The word would be plural, begin with s and end in house"

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

Sacking a manager after a local derby is the low of the low. 

I think Nigel is a quality manager - his sides plays good, passing football. Also, he has an eye for promising youngsters and plays them.

If I were the Notts County Chairman, I'd be doing anything I could to bring Nigel to Meadow Lane - even if it is a tad unlikely.

[GrannyPie]

Even the anaesthetic(Supers words not mine) didn't cheer him up last night.I hate it when Derby lose to  'them' but having the manager sacked out of the blue as well?Super told me he found it funny  that some fans would be calling for Cloughie's head after losing at home but the same fans would be talking about top 6 after winning away.

[super_ram]

Still not sunk in.The owners/board restated their backing for NC at the beginning of the season.There was no public indication of dissatisfication from them regarding NC's management but then they hold the purse strings.As I've already stated -the new manager will have the same problems to contend with,i.e. little financial backing.The only conclusion I can come up with is that there is some other reason for his sudden and callous dismissal.

[Fan of Big Tone]

I did wonder if there were reasons that as yet the public are not privy to, keep your ear to the ground @super_ram and let us know if you find anything out.

[Chris]

I doubt that there's anything more to this myself.

Derby's crowd haven't been convincing from what I have heard and the board most likely want it to be at a certain percent - Does Pride Park sell out continuously Super? I also can't see NC going up to the board and demanding money or anything of the nature of one Di Canio...

Perhaps the board just wanted to see a change? 7 years is awhile for one managers stay. I guess someone who's been dismissed or recently become available might have triggered it personally. If Derby want to be a top end Championship side, the board need to start allowing 1m pound signings and continuously back the manager. Yet, this for me would be even harsher on NC because he's only signed a few players on what you'd consider to be the normal figures.

[super_ram]

It's not just NC going but most of the the backroom staff as well.Perhaps the yanks or whoever weren't happy with their contribution(Youth Academy staying the same) and Nigel's loyalty to them,as he chose his staff,was being tested.

I've heard loads of stuff being put forward as a reason for the sudden turn of events and it's funny how rumour and gossip suddenly become fact

It's also funny that we suddenly acquire a centre half(something I've been going on about for a while),yet didn't have a manager at the time.

[Chris]

Exclusive interview with Sam Rush regarding Nigel Clough and we reveal some further news developments from Pride Park.

Earlier today I managed to have skype conversation with Sam Rush CEO at Derby County. I asked him about the decision to sack Nigel and how it came about, he responded by saying "We're only making plans for Nigel, We only want what's best for him". A little bemused by the response I replied but how does relate to sacking Nigel and is he happy? to which Sam responded "Nigel just needs this helping hand and if young Nigel says he's happy, He must be happy".

Alrighty, moving on. When asking Sam Rush where he felt Nigel's future lies, Sam Responded "He has his future in a British steel, we're only making plans for Nigel - Nigel's whole future is as good as sealed"..

Whilst pushing for a proper response to answer the decision behind the dismissal of Nigel - Sam Rush then blurted out "Nigel is not outspoken but he likes to speak and loves to be spoken to".
 

You can view the exclusive interview on the following link; View Here

Derby CEO 'Sam Rush' indicated that Pride Park would also be looking into making some ground renovations, he hinted that they're looking into the option of obtaining a retractable roof as depict below.

So, despite @super_rams outburst a little earlier - you can see things are quite positive still at Derby County.

[GrannyPie]

That made Super smile

[super_ram]

It's not the first time I've disagreed when a Derby manager has departed.A lot of Rams fans were annoyed when Tim Ward was sacked.He had worked with a tight budget and made some impressive signings.Derby slowly moved up the league but then he had a bad season and was sacked. Who replaced him? A certain Brian Clough!At the time we weren't impressed after all what credentials did he have?I hope I am pleasantly surprised again.