January looming with fans waiting for answers on Rams future
■■Shaun Oremans asks: Are we going to try and keep the same team for the challenge of League One next season? Because there are some very good teams in that league ... Oxford United, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Wycombe Wanderers, Ipswich Town to name a few.
SN: Wayne Rooney will have his plans for the team and the squad for the remainder of this season and next season, whichever division Derby find themselves.
I’m sure he will know the players he wants to keep and the players he would like to bring in.
A large number of players are out of contract at the end of the season and that is another issue that needs sorting, although much is likely to depend on the ownership of the club being settled.
■■Chris Moorley asks: Would you want to see Wayne Rooney at Everton, Steve? Hypothetically of course.
SN: I’d like to see him at Derby, Chris, because I know how determined he is to turn the club’s fortunes around, and he has plans in place to try and do that. I think he has shown his commitment and emerged as a leader in difficult circumstances.
■■Paul Lenton asks: Do you know if we have to pay Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers?
SN: Here’s what the administrators said in their most recent statement on December 3: “We are continuing to make good progress and are seeking to complete a sale of Derby County Football Club in late January 2022.
“This is subject to the successful outcome of negotiations with key stakeholders and interested parties which has always been the case.
“By way of key matters still to resolve, later this month we expect to have identified a preferred buyer and made progress with ongoing discussions with HMRC, Middlesbrough Football Club and Wycombe Wanderers FC. All these matters will determine the most appropriate exit route from the Administration.”
■■Stuart Hughes asks: Do you think there will still be a Derby County Football Club next season?
SN: I very much hope so, Stuart, and for many, many years to come.
At the start of the administration process the administrators said they were 95% confident of a positive outcome and in their most recent statement they said: “Day-to-day work to secure the future of this historic football club continues and while there are no guarantees, we remain confident of a positive outcome for the club.”
■■Mark Warton asks: How long before Krystian Bielik returns?
SN: He continues to make good progress, Mark.
The plan is to try and have him involved on match day at some point in January, Wayne Rooney has said.
■■Joe E asks: What’s the situation with transfers in January? Are we
allowed to sign players?
SN: Wayne Rooney wants to strengthen the squad but of course much is likely to depend on the ownership issue.
Even when a new owner is in place, Derby will still be restricted by a business plan when it comes to signing players, and so free agents and loan signings (without a loan fee) look the most likely additions.
■■Mark Reid asks: Any ideas who Peter Gadsby is with for his bid?
SN: I don’t at the moment, Mark. It was only reported on Tuesday night that a local consortium with former Rams chairman Peter Gadsby involved is one of the interested parties.
He was part of a local consortium that bought the club in 2006 and guided the Rams to the Premier
League, the last time the club was in the top flight.
Interested parties in potential takeovers tend to keep details of their interest under wraps.
■■dcscwcb asks: Name any existing U18/U23 youngsters who you think could be the next ones to break through into the first team and why?
SN: Sixteen-year-old Omari Kellyman, an attacking midfielder or forward, is making a big impression.
He was on the bench for the firstteam against Bournemouth last month and I was impressed when I saw him in the FA Youth Cup tie against Peterborough United.
He has also made an impact playing for Northern Ireland U17s.
■■James Hudson asks: Does the
system we played last Saturday suit the players we have more than our standard set-up?
SN: I think it does, James, and I have said that for some time now.
Central defender Phil Jagielka, Curtis Davies, Craig Forsyth and Richard Stearman are options to go with three centre-backs; Kamil Jozwiak, Nathan Byrne and Festy Ebosele can play right wing-back, Lee Buchanan, Dylan Williams and Forsyth can play left wing-back.
■■Steve King asks: Can a club sign players when it’s still in adminstration? I’m thinking that it’s quite likely to be an issue in January with Phil Jagielka, but even more so if things aren’t sorted by the summer and we only have a few players contracted.
SN: The administrators have said
players can be signed in January within the restrictions but the club cannot pay transfer fees or loan fees.
So that would mean free agents or loan deals without a fee.
Wayne Rooney has already said he wants to extend Phil Jagielka’s contract beyond the end of this season. Jagielka’s current deal expires in mid-January.
■■Dave asks: In recent times, which player was an absolute joy to interview?
SN: There have been many, Dave, and that is not me sitting on the fence, it is fact.
I would not want to leave anybody out. I did a weekly column with Shaun Barker for three years, and it was a remarkably difficult time for him given his serious knee injury, but he was top class to work with.
■■Ian Victor Holland asks: Can we now play more Academy players without having concerns about breaking EFL regulations?
SN: Yes, but it is complex, Ian. It now seems that a professional player has to have started three League games to be counted as one of the 25 permitted players. Scholars, as with Dylan Williams, do not count.
■■Tom Wedd asks: When are we going to hit a diagonal pass across the pitch, instead of slow, short passes that achieve nothing except a resulting 50-50 kick upfield from the keeper?
SN: Possession and building from the back is seen in most games, Tom, not just Derby’s games.
It is very much about the decisionmaking of the player on the ball, seeing the right pass and playing it, whether that’s a short five/10-yard pass or a diagonal.
■■Justin Ratcliffe asks: Is the ruling that has allowed Luke Plange to play for the first team effectively a wider one which allows any U23/ U18 player who signed a contract, before Administration, to be available for first team selection? Or were the additional U18s/U23s on the bench on Saturday only there due to the Covid outbreak and a one-off agreement with EFL?
SN: The Covid outbreak did mean it was a younger bench than normal, Justin, and although I haven’t checked I would imagine any U18/23 player will be eligible. It was not, as far as I am aware, a one-off agreement.