Premiership. The reality is now quite different, with mounting debt and
Premiership poachers smacking their lips at the prospect of getting one of
the Rams better players at knock down prices the Rams have little option but
to sell.
The drop from the Premiership left the Rams with serious debts rumoured to
be between £20m and £30m. Players on long term contracts are being asked to
defer percentages of their wages till next August or having all or part of
their current contract paid up.
However it is not all doom and gloom at Pride Park. Several new and young
talent are starting to push for places in the team and after the transfer
window opens and high wage earners are sold it will be a frenzy for first
team places.
Derby have already brought Academy starlet Izale MacLeod straight into the
first team and he has scored on two occasions for the Rams.
Tom Huddlestone has also travelled with the Rams first team but has only
managed a place on the subs bench as yet. Not bad though for a kid who will
not be 16 till December 28th this year and at 6 feet 2 inches already he
will be a huge defender in the near future.
Well those players may be our future but the Rams have many more quality
players, many of which are coming back from injury at the present moment.
Fabrizio Ravanelli is perhaps our most famous player still at the club and
is currently make progress and playing for the reserves in a bid to regain
match fitness after an Achilles injury.
Craig Burley is another long term injured player who may make a return in
the near future.
Georgi Kinkladze is a player who can turn a match with his skill and he is
beginning to claim a regular place in John Gregory's team after being told
to find a new club before the season started.
With Estonian keeper Mart Poom (wanted by several Premiership clubs) in goal
Derby have on paper what looks like a very formidable team. However they
have been found wanting in several of the major clashes this season. The
game against Portsmouth last Saturday a prime example. After dominating the
opening 20 minutes and going one goal up the Rams couldn't live with the
superior passing skills of Pompey and eventually lost 1-2.
Midfield is a problem for Derby. They seem to have the players in Rob Lee,
Georgi Kinkladze, Paul Boertien etc but can be stifled and become sterile by
team and this in turn leaves our strikers with little or no service.
If our attack is provide with the ammunition from midfield we have the
quality to score goals. Malcolm Christie another Premiership target can be
devastating in and around the box, likewise Fabrizio Ravanelli on his day.
Although Rava hasn't played a full match for the Rams since August this
year.
Lee Morris is another young and talented attacking player who can split
defences with his pace and skill.
The Rams are looking forward to taking on the Seagulls as they intend to
dominate the game but there are always two sides to Derby County and they
can easily lose a game that they have dominated. The match should be
interesting and may the best team win......
Regards