Not so easy to give Beni an opportunity
BENI Baningime has made only two appearances for Derby County since he joined the Rams on loan from Everton.
The 22-year-old midfielder was one of five loan signings made by Wayne Rooney on transfer deadline day.
Defenders Teden Mengi and George Edmundson arrived from Manchester United and Rangers, striker Lee Gregory from Stoke City and winger Patrick Roberts from Manchester City.
Mengi has played seven times including five starts, Edmundson six times (five starts), Gregory 10 games (five starts) and Roberts eight games (three starts).
Baningime came off the bench after 87 minutes of the 3-0 defeat away to Rotherham United and he started in the 4-0 defeat away to Cardiff City.
“He has been training really well,” said Rooney.
“You bring a player in and you want to try and give them time to impress, but at the minute the way we have been going it has been hard for me to give him minutes.
“I think the middle of the pitch is a very important position for the team and it is just about picking the right time for him to come in and take the chance when he does.”
Derby have six loan signings – Matt Clarke is on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion – but only five loanees can be named in a match-day squad, which means one has to miss out.
GARY Bowyer has sent a message to Derby County boss Wayne Rooney and Academy Director Darren Wassall after being appointed manager of Salford City until the end of the season.
Bowyer will be in charge of the League Two club for the remainder of the campaign and will then return to his role with the Rams Academy, assisting Senior Professional Development Phase Coach Pat Lyons in the running of the under-23 side.
Speaking to Salford’s official website, Bowyer said: “I’ve got to first and foremost thank Wayne Rooney and Darren Wassall at Derby County for being so helpful to allow me to come here.
“Obviously, today is a case of meeting the players and setting the expectations of what we expect of them from now until the end of the season.
“We want them to be playing aggressive football both with and without the ball, and have a right good go at these remaining 11 games.
“We have an opportunity like everybody else in this league to try and force our way into the reckoning to try and get into the play-offs.”
Bowyer was appointed as the Rams’ Professional Development Phase Coach ahead of this season to begin his second spell as a coach in the club’s youth set-up.
The 49-year-old has previously managed Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool and Bradford City.
Salford parted company with Richie Wellens “by mutual consent” after he spent only four months in charge.
They are ninth in League Two, six points outside the play-off places but without a League win in four matches.