American is latest name in frame for takeover
AMERICAN businessman Rich Riley is being linked with the consortium featuring former Derby County chairman Andy Appleby that is looking to buy the Rams, according to reports.
The club has been in administration for almost four months and the search for a new owner remains ongoing.
A consortium headed by Appleby has an offer for the club on the table.
Now, journalist Alan Nixon has tweeted: “American money guy linked with Appleby/Moxey team is Rich Riley. An investor type who made money in computer world.”
BBC journalist Simon Hare has tweeted: “As per @reluctantnicko, the name that’s been linked with the Appleby consortium bidding to buy #dcfc is Rich Riley. THINK it is this guy from US who used to be CEO of Shazam and an exec at Yahoo.”
Meanwhile, former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan believes there will be “mixed emotions” about former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley taking over the Rams, as suggested by reports on Friday night.
Jordan told talkSPORT how he thought Ashley would run the Rams if he took charge.
“There will be mixed emotions about Mike Ashley,” said Jordan.
“What he is is a very good businessman, he just wasn’t right for Newcastle United.
“Derby have been run by Mel Morris – who I’m very fond of – and Mel ran it on the basis of the same way a lot of us do, with a lot of ambition.
“He got caught for a lot of money.
“He didn’t want Derby to be in the position it’s in.
“If (Mike Ashley buying Derby) is to be the case, and I’m not sure that it is, you know Ashley’s going to run this club a certain way.
“He’s going to give it certain parameters that will give it the stability perhaps they haven’t had previously.”
Jordan added: “Mike, whatever anyone can say, he must have learned lessons from the 13-14 years he was at Newcastle.” • Sponsored by:
WAYNE Rooney’s move to add to Derby County’s attacking options, especially in the wide area, comes as no surprise.
Take away the two goals conceded away against Reading and the poor one in the FA Cup against Coventry City, Derby remain pretty sturdy defensively. Their record of 24 goals leaked is bettered by only three teams in the Championship, and those three teams sit in the top four.
Twenty-three goals scored in 25 League games shows Derby have struggled to create chances and find the net for much of the season, although their threat in the final third has improved.
They have scored two in each of their last two away League matches.
Derby are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Manchester United’s Amad Diallo on loan.
The 19-year-old is a natural winger/wide attacker who is quick, direct and likes to cut inside from the right onto his stronger foot. He can also play on the left.
Derby have in the main used a 4-2-3-1 formation – they have also used 3-4-3 – and a combination of Jason Knight, Festy Ebosele, Kamil Jozwiak and Tom Lawrence have filled the wide roles.
It is not Knight’s natural position as the 20-year-old midfielder can be more effective when more central but, typically, he has put in a real shift for the team.
He has started 15 of the last 17 matches since returning from an injury suffered in pre-season and has been as committed as ever.
Ebosele started as a right-back but Rooney sees him playing further forward and the 19-year-old is learning the role. His power and pace gives opponents problems but more care is needed with his final pass, cross or attempt to pick out a team-mate.
Ebosele and Diallo could provide genuine pace from both flanks. Both are raw talents in the early stages of their careers.
Jozwiak has been in and out of the team and his form has been up and down. His best performance of late came a wing-back in the home victory over Blackpool.
Lawrence has shown he can operate in any position across the front four, including as a false number nine. He has been more of a threat when central and he is Derby’s leading scorer.
The addition of another attacking option will boost competition for places in the starting 11 and also for places on the bench. We have seen how substitutes have impacted the game in recent weeks and the importance of being able to make changes from the bench.
WAYNE Rooney believes the players deserve credit for the interest being shown in a Derby County takeover.
It is almost four months since the Rams entered administration and the search for a new owner remains ongoing.
Reports on Friday night claimed Derby are set to receive a ‘formal £50m offer’ from former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley to purchase the club.
A consortium headed by former Rams chairman Andy Appleby has an offer for the club on the table.
The administrators have been saying the announcement of a preferred bidder is imminent and Derby manager Rooney said after the FA Cup defeat by Coventry City at the weekend he is “pretty sure” a preferred bidder will be in place this week.
“I know it is very very close. I am pretty sure I will be sitting in front of you next week with the preferred bidder in place, I am sure of that,” he said on Saturday.
Asked if he was surprised to see Mike Ashley’s name thrown into the ring, Rooney said: “I am not sur