Mistakes so costly but Rooney will stick to his style of play
MANAGER SAYS DEFEAT BY BLUES WAS MOST DISAPPOINTING MOMENT OF SEASON SO FAR
DERBY County lost for the second time in the Championship this season, 2-0 to Birmingham City at St Andrew’s on Friday night.
The Rams bossed possession but went behind after 31 minutes when Scott Hogan scored for the home side following a defensive mistake.
Jeremie Bela doubled Birmingham’s lead nine minutes from the end of normal time.
Here’s what Rams manager Wayne Rooney told the media after the game:
■■How much did the first goal change the shape of the game?
Wayne Rooney: I think it did. The first goal hit us, set us back a little bit and I was happy to get in at half-time at 1-0.
I made the change, Jack Stretton coming on. I felt we were building up OK but we weren’t really affecting their backline, we weren’t putting balls in behind or down the side. So I felt by having two strikers we could look more of a threat but ultimately throughout the 90 minutes we didn’t.
We didn’t affect their three centrebacks enough.
A frustrating game because we didn’t play the way I wanted us to play, we didn’t cause them the problems I felt we could but they didn’t cause us that many problems as well.
I thought we handled the setpieces really well.
Birmingham are a team and it is not a critcism, they play for setpieces – corners, wide free kicks, long throw-ins – and I thought we dealt with it really well but what it does is it slows the game down, if you have any momentum in the game it takes that away from you.
I was really frustrated with the performance and obviously the result.
■■Two poor goals conceded and questions will be asked about playing out from the back. You said that is the way you want to play, is that the responsibility you take as a manager?
Wayne Rooney: Yes. Players will make mistakes, that is on me.
I won’t sit here and criticise a player for trying to do what I am asking them to do.
Of course it is a mistake (for the first goal), it is the execution of the pass, that’s it but I will take full responsibility for that.
We will keep trying to play the way we are. I think we have had some very good performances.
I am watching this team, with a lot of young players, grow.
We are going to have nights like tonight, we are going to have mistakes like we had but we are also going to have some very good moments from players. That is on me.
I will never criticise one of my players for trying to play the way I am asking. I take full responsibility for that.
■■How much are you learning as a manager in what is not an easy situation?
Wayne Rooney: A lot! I have played at the top level, I have played in the States, I played at Derby, it is all part of my preparation for going into management, to try and learn as much as I can for this moment.
It has been very difficult, of course, with everything what has happened off the pitch at the club but ultimately I have to prepare the team to play.
I think we are doing OK, we are playing some good stuff.
We need to be more clinical, that is for sure, we need to score more goals. Some of the chances and half chances – and we didn’t create too much tonight – but when we have in previous games it needs to hurt when you miss them.
The players know that, I have spoke to the players about that.
So, I am learning a lot and I will keep learning and trying to get better.
Do defeats like this hurt more as a manager than as a player?
Wayne Rooney: Any defeat hurts as a manager, as a player, as a spectator.
It is not nice, of course, but you take what positives there were and try and get better but also the negatives.
Tonight is the most disappointed I have been throughout the start of the season because I felt there was opportunities for us to take the game to Birmingham, and we didn’t really recover from the first goal.
■■Do you see enough positives to think that, playing the way you are, it will turn for you?
Wayne Rooney: Yes. There are a lot of positives but I thought tonight we were not good enough in the final third.