ROO IT OUR WAY

Cocu’s job saved as Wayne & Co persuade boss to change tactics

The struggling Rams picked up their first Championship win of the season on Saturday at Norwich after Rooney’s superb late free-kick in a 1-0 triumph.

It helped to ease the pressure on manager Cocu after opening with three straight league defeats to spark fears of the axe, ahead of the international break.

The victory followed

Cocu tweaking his tactics in the team meeting in their Norwich hotel before the game.

He was outlining his plans for the Carrow Road clash when the senior players spoke up.

They said Derby needed to be much harder to play against after er their previous 4-0 home defeat to Blackburn, when they trailed 3-0 at the break.

The players insisted the Rams should be much more aggressive when they lost possession and to harry opponents.

England’s record goalscorer Rooney (right, with Cocu) – who is a player-coach at Pride Park – then voiced his support for the approach before the manager agreed to adopt it. Reflecting on the win, Dutch coach Cocu said: “They confirmed what we had spoken about in our meeting as to what we should be putting on the pitch, both as individuals and as a team.

“That has to be on the pitch every game. It is regardless of whether we play a fantastic game of football where everything goes to plan. Some games we struggle for whatever reason, but we still need that attitu attitude.

“Yo You never know in football, but I think thin that this is an important turnin turning point.”

Co Cocu enjoyed a distinguished career in midfield for Barcelona and Holland and has had Derby playing out from the back since he replaced Frank Lampard in July 2019.

The 20th-placed team came 10t 10th in his first season and retu return to action at home to Watfo Watford a week tomorrow.