Kazpoints NOW PAY WAGES SAYS ROO
WAYNE ROONEY watched his unpaid Derby County players grab back-to-back wins and then told the club’s board, ‘I’ve done my bit, now you do yours’.
Rams staff have only been given a small percentage of December’s wages as the Pride Park takeover saga rumbles on.
Colin Kazim-Richards’ closerange winner and a fine Kelle Roos save made it six points from six for the former England captain at leggy QPR.
He already has more victories since getting the Derby job nine days ago than predecessor Phillip Cocu managed before he got the bullet in November.
But Rooney has clearly already had enough with the offthe-pitch uncertainty and said: “It’s a big week for this football club, and it really needs sorting out.
“All I can do is keep putting pressure on the board. The players need to get paid first of all and then we can look at bringing some players in.
“I’m delighted for them because this hasn’t been an easy time but they’ve been fantastic. With everything that has been going on they have kept their focus and this is a great win.
“I can’t ask any more, hopefully this week things can get sorted and can keep building.”
Rooney is not afraid of adventure, keeping his threepronged attack which saw off Bournemouth in midweek.
But his side can clearly defend, too, and a second clean sheet in five days means Derby are five points clear of the drop zone. County should have gone ahead when uncharacteristically slack defending left KazimRichards unmarked.
He made a mess of things before turning the air blue as his frustration echoed around Loftus Road for all to hear. Charlie Austin had reason to curse 10 minutes later, firing right at keeper Roos after Todd Kane’s tidy cut-back.
But Rooney is not afraid of changing things up and a tactical switch at the break saw his team leave with the points. The excellent Graeme Shinnie marched forward, played a perfect pass to Kamil Jozwiak and keeper Seny Dieng could only push it into the path of the lurking Kazim-Richards (left), who couldn’t miss from four yards 11 minutes after half-time. The striker’s hard work was almost undone. Rangers should have had a penalty when he used a hand to clear a flicked-on corner as the QPR players’ screams were ignored.
Furious, the hosts tried to right the wrong. Ilias Chair flashed a drive just wide after a rare lapse in concentration by Andre Wisdom.
Roos then got down low and fast to keep out an incredible overhead kick from defender Yoann Barbet.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton was not impressed with the match officials.
He said: “I don’t know how we didn’t get a penalty, it’s an obvious one.
“I’ve seen the replay and it’s a penalty, it’s clear. I don’t think we did enough to win the game, but I don’t think we did enough to lose it.”
Dieng 6; Dickie 7, Cameron 6, Barbet 7; Kane 7, Willock 6 (Bettache (65th) 6), Ball 7, Chair 7, Hamalainen 6 (Adomah 83rd); Austin 6 (Kelman 83rd), Dykes 6 (Bonne (73rd) 6) Roos 7; Evans 6 (Bird (46th) 7), Wisdom 7, Clarke 8; Byrne 7, Bielik 7, Shinnie 8, Buchanan 7; Jozwiak 7 (McDonald 87th), Kazim-Richards 7 (Waghorn, 79th), Knight 6 Graeme Shinnie
T Robinson