Morris offer to break deadlock
MEL Morris has made a proposal to the EFL, Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers in a bid to solve the Derby County crisis.
The former Rams owner, who placed the club into administration in September, has commented on a number of issues in a lengthy personal statement.
The search for new owners of the Rams remains ongoing, with a number of parties interested in the club, but there are obstacles and a preferred bidder has not been named, as yet.
There are also ongoing compensation claims against Derby from Middlesbrough and Wycombe.
The EFL released their latest update on Thursday, calling on relevant parties to enter into collaborative negotiations in order to secure the long-term future of the club.
Now Morris has offered to take over the claims against Derby from Middlesbrough and Wycombe, helping the process of securing the Rams’ future with new owners.
In his statement, Morris says: “The EFL say they are keen to engage and to find a pragmatic solution. I wish to propose a solution.
“I invite Boro, and in due course Wycombe if they so wish, to take their claims to the High Court against me personally. Let DCFC move on for the benefit of the fans, the city of Derby, the sport and the EFL. To the EFL, this allows them to see that the rights of Boro’s and Wycombe’s claims, should they be proven in due course, preserved.
“Why the High Court? It is the right place for a claim such as Boro’s to be heard in a forum which is more suited to that type of claim.
“I sincerely hope the EFL, Boro and Wycombe will respond urgently and constructively to my proposal to unlock the impasse. By preserving the rights of these parties to pursue their claims through the High Court I can see no reason why the EFL cannot allow DCFC to exit administration without issue or concern that it would be contrary to their rules, articles and insolvency policy.
“I have informed Quantuma, the DCFC administrators, of my proposal so they may discuss it with the EFL, Boro, Wycombe and potential bidders.”
A response from the EFL merely said that they noted Morris’s offer.
WAYNE Rooney has been speaking about his relationship with the Rams’ administrators.
The Rams have been in administration for 20 weeks and the search for new owners remains ongoing.
Derby also remain under a transfer embargo that has prevented Rooney from signing players and offering players new contracts.
The squad lost a number of players during the January transfer window including the experienced pair Phil Jagielka and Graeme Shinnie as well as youngsters Dylan Williams to Chelsea, Luke Plange to Crystal Palace and Omari Kellyman, who is set to join Aston Villa, although Plange has remained with the Rams on loan for the rest of the season.
This has left Rooney frustrated and last week the Rams boss made his feelings known about the situation regarding 16-year-old attacking mid
fielder Kellyman.
Asked if there are bridges to be built with the administrators, Rooney said: “I have a good relationship with them and we speak over things.
“Whether you agree or not is a different matter.
“Of course I was frustrated with the sale of Omari and how it happened.
“I have been speaking to them again. The important thing is that this club needs to survive.
“Unfortunately, I have lost players in January, nine players. It is frustrating, it is what it is, and this is the situation we are in, the situation we have been left in.
“All I can do is focus on the team, the players I have here, and try and get them playing the best they can.”
Rooney was asked if the commmunication lines had been a little bit blurred?
He said: “No. Listen, as I said, and I said it publicly, I was assured no players would have to leave the club, then you lose players.
“But I also understand things can change, especially the position we are in as a club. So maybe sometimes we need to speak more regularly because if things are changing, we need to be on top of that.”
On the search for new owners, Rooney added: “I always want to know and I am asking questions about what the situation is, really to take that pressure off the players and to keep them updated as well.
“Ultimately, and as I have said before, that is the administrators’ job, to try and get somebody in. My job is to manage the team.
“It has to happen as soon as possible, and the quicker the better.”