PAIN It’s not too late mind and lace
WAYNE ROONEY has signed up for a huge task to keep Derby in the Championship.
Rotherham turned Rooney’s first game as full-time boss of the Rams into a nightmare.
Despite only having won one away game this season way back in September, the Millers blitzed Derby in the dying stages and won with Jamie Lindsay’s 86th-minute tap-in.
It leaves Rooney in deep trouble, with the Rams second-bottom of the Championship table.
“Rotherham got what they deserved. We didn’t deserve anything out of the game,” said an angry Rooney.
“We were sloppy. We have ourselves to blame. I am not going to make any excuses for the performance or the result.
“I felt that if we’d have got a point out of the game that we would have got away with one.
“It gives us a fight to get away from the bottom three but I’m confident in my ability, the staff and the players to get out of this mess we are in.
“We could do with a bit of help over the next two weeks in terms of getting players in.
“So hopefully the takeover is done as quickly as possible.”
Derby are next to bottom, below
Rotherham, who have two games in hand on them.
With QPR, Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe all not playing yesterday this was a big day for Rooney – and not just in terms of celebrating his two-and-ahalf-year contract as permanent manager.
Add in Derby’s other problems of a £60million takeover that never seems to happen and with the cash-strapped club struggling to pay players’ wages, there is a lot riding on Rooney getting it right.
He couldn’t get his team moving in the first half but Rotherham keeper Jamal Blackman still had to make saves from Graeme Shinnie and Lee Buchanan .
That’s as good as it got though. Despite their poor away record, Rotherham took control and captain Richard Wood was furious when he had the ball in the net in the 35th minute but saw his effort ruled out by a very late assistant referee’s flag.
Michael Smith ought to have scored
from close range in the 14th minute and Daniel Barlaser sent a header over the top.
It needed Rooney to give it a ‘Fergie’ at half-time.
But if there is a hairdryer in Rooney’s new managerial kit it didn’t work until he went four up front for the last 34 minutes.
Martyn Waghorn shot wide and Shinnie had another one saved – but Rotherham did far better.
Lindsay’s shot was cleared off the line by Andre Wisdom but two minutes later Barlaser hit the post with a free-kick, with Lindsay putting the ball in from close range.
“Our away form is honking,” admitted Rotherham boss Paul Warne. “It’s been poor in the Championship for years.
“We are a good home side but we absolutely stink away.
“So to come here, keep a clean sheet and win, it gives the lads a real belief.”
DERBY: Roos 6; Byrne 6, Wisdom 6, Clarke 7, Buchanan 6; Shinnie 8, Bielik
6 (Bird (66th) 5), Knight 6; Waghorn 6, Kazim-Richards 6, Jozwiak 6 ROTHERHAM: Blackman 7; A MacDonald 6, Ihiekwe 6,Wood 6; Olosunde 6, Wiles 6, Lindsay 7, Barlaser 7,Harding 6; Crooks 6; Smith
6 (Ladapo 80th)
Graeme Shinnie J Linington