Ravel departs as fans wait for more news and Curtis is still talking REMAIN IN THE
HOURIHANE,
CHESTER ALSO
There is a further discussion to be had but I’m hopeful we can get something sorted. Curtis Davies
DERBY County have confirmed the exit of Ravel Morrison as a busy week of transfer market work continues.
With the first pre-season friendly looming at the weekend against Bradford City, Morrison has left Pride Park after his deal expired.
The former Manchester United man is one of a number of players who were out of contract.
Confirming Morrison’s exit, Derby’s official Twitter account posted: “Following the expiration of his contract, @morrisonravel has left the club. Thank you for your efforts, Rav, and good luck for the future.”
Morrison’s exit comes after interim boss Liam Rosenior had a hectic weekend having tied up the arrivals of Joe Wildsmith, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Tom Barkhuizen.
Eiran Cashin and Liam Thompson also signed new deals.
More incomings are expected and the Rams are still in talks with former Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane, who is also wanted by clubs in the Championship.
James Chester is also talking to Derby over a proposed move after leaving Stoke City, while Sheffield United forward David McGoldrick is also on the wanted list.
One of the players supporters most want to know about is, of course, centre-half Curtis Davies. He is still discussing a new deal with the club and Rosenior is keen to retain the services of the defender who was player of the season last term.
However, in his latest interview with the radio station Talksport, Davies confirmed that while he is not currently training with the club, he hopes a deal can still be sorted, writes Bruna Reis.
“I haven’t been training,” he said.
“I was ill last week so haven’t been in. I went in on Friday to have a discussion regarding my new deal and that’s where we’re at.
“We’ve had a discussion, yes there is a further discussion to be had, but I’m hopeful we can get something sorted.”
Davies said it did not feel right to be training with the club unless a deal is finalised.
That is in contrast to striker Colin Kazim-Richards, who is training at Moor Farm despite being a free agent currently.
“I’ve been in the gym. Mainly at this stage of pre-season, I’m doing more core stuff to make sure the groins and hamstrings are strong, so more core activation stuff,” said Davies.
“I’ve been working on my bike and going for jogs. I have been keeping myself topped up and ready.
“It’ll never replicate being on a football pitch and training with a group of players, no.
“I wouldn’t be stubborn and if I felt it was right for me to do that then I would but at this current moment I’d sooner just try and see where discussions go.
“If I go in and I’m training and we can’t agree a deal, I don’t want it to seem, both to the fans and to the people at the club, that I’m happy just to do it because I’m there. “That’s why I think it needs to be the right time for me to go back – when discussions are looking better.”
On the possibility of a joint playing/coaching role, he added: “It’s not on the forefront of my mind, I must be honest.
“I think there will be something that brings me back to football, in terms of being on the sidelines or part of a coaching team. “Yes, I do believe I probably would come back to that.
“But immediately, if you were to tell me that I’d retire tomorrow, I would sooner be sat with you guys in the studio, talking about football, than actually preparing a team.
“It is something I think I will come back to but it’s not the be all and end
all for me and I think when you get to my age and you start over-talking yourself about being a coach, managers get scared to sign you because they’ll be scared I’m going to take their jobs.
“That’s definitely not the case. “My focus is, whilst I’m a player and I want to be a player, if I was able to help out the coaching staff, be it through almost being a coach on the pitch, that’s fine, no problem.”
Davies hopes Rosenior is confirmed as the Rams’ permanent manager and gets all the deals he wants over the line.
“If all the targets are met, it will be a really good competitive squad but, obviously, it’s one thing having the team on paper,” he said.
“Hopefully, Liam gets the job fulltime and then that way, we can build and look at the man who is going to lead us all of the way.
“At the moment, he’s got it as an interim, players are signing because Liam’s there and he’s got them through the door, so fingers crossed he gets the job and he’s the one who takes us forward.”