Drink-driving, points deductions and Duane Holmes - Derby County Preview
Brady Frost, Feature Writer
Twitter: @brady0894
Source for image above: Derby County
As Huddersfield Town visit The Rams this afternoon, we spoke to Chris Parsons, from fan podcast - Steve Bloomer's Washing, to find out what’s been going on at Pride Park.
This weekend sees the reverse of the opening day fixture as Huddersfield Town travel to Pride Park. Derby County emerged 2-1 winners at the John Smith’s Stadium with Tom Lawrence grabbing both goals for The Rams.
If Terriers fans think they’ve had a controversial season, it’s nothing compared to Derby. A drunken night out leading to the sacking of their club captain, Wayne Rooney joining the club and now a possible points deduction are just some of the highlights from this campaign.
The results for Phillip Cocu’s side have been just as eye-catching on the pitch as the controversy off it, as Derby County have lost just two games at Pride Park this season. Despite their impressive home form, they remain 13th in the table, winning just two matches on the road in the league.
To find out exactly what has been going on in Derbyshire and how the rest of the season will unfold, And He Takes That Chance spoke to Chris Parsons from Derby County fan podcast, Steve Bloomer's Washing.
Derby County had been very impressive at home this season. Photo source: Derby County
How would you rate Derby’s season so far?
A chaotic transition. New boss Phillip Cocu has had to deal with all sorts - losing our record signing to injury, the drink-drive incident, and the threat of a points deduction - all after a very brier pre-season. We're hanging on to our midtable status as a result.
What’s your prediction for the rest of Derby’s season?
We'll finish in the middle of the bottom half (hopefully without having points deducted over FFP...!). We're very solid at home, but our run-in is horrible. A late playoff charge is out of the question.
What is the fans’ feeling about the potential points deduction for breaching the EFL’s spending rules?
It's sad that it's come to this, but ultimately it's years of 'chasing the dream' coming home to roost. We overpaid several times for mediocre players who didn't get us up, and this is the result. Having said that, the club has denied breaking any rules, so the outcome right now is impossible to call.
Richard Keogh was sacked by Derby County earlier this season. Photo source: Derby County
What the hell happened at the infamous team bonding day and how did it go down with the fans?
An absolute embarrassing mess. What should've been a standard team bonding meal went completely sour and ended our captain's Derby career as a result. Lawrence has had some redemption, having pleaded guilty in court, and Bennett has been sent out on loan. Plenty of fans consider it harsh Keogh was sacked given he wasn't a driver, but as captain, he was meant to be one of the responsible ones.
Were you sad to see Richard Keogh sacked by the club?
Yes. Eight seasons and 350+ games, all ended like this. He wasn't perfect, but he was a constant and was made captain by several managers for a reason. We've looked ropey at the back ever since.
Much has been made about Wayne Rooney. How he has performed so far and what’s been the fan reaction to him joining?
He's lifted everyone around him. He doesn't get box-to-box anymore, but his technical quality is still sensational and you can tell our young players are learning from him. He's arguably the most high-profile signing in our history.
Chris Parsons thinks Duane Holmes (top) has been Derby’s player of the season so far. Photo source: Derby County
Which players have performed well but gone under the radar to other clubs in the league?
Duane Holmes! He's been sensational, particularly since Rooney arrived and he's been able to get further forward. Quick on the ball and keen to break the lines, he's really kicked on this year. Player of the Year so far.
Are you pleased with Phillip Cocu and his style this season?
We’ve been poor defensively overall - our weakness from crosses and set pieces have undermined us all season. Again though, that’s not entirely Cocu’s fault. In general, there’s still a lot of good feeling towards him from most fans, who are desperate for stability and for him to be given time.
Karlan Grant scoring Huddersfield’s penalty in the 2-1 defeat to Derby earlier in the season. Photo source: HTAFC
What did you think of Huddersfield in their previous encounter with Derby this season?
I thought Town were poor and there was clearly a relegation hangover - but they've since acted by replacing the manager and have steadied the ship after that horrific start. It'll be a very different game to August.
What do you think of Huddersfield so far this season?
It’s clear you’ve had a job shifting out the Prem players who didn’t want to play in the Championship, but you’ve acted quickly and I expect the Cowleys to be around for a while.
What’s your score prediction for the game?
I’ve seen Town have had a few decent wins on the road, but with our record at Pride Park and wanting to see a reaction to our midweek defeat to Bristol City, I’m confident of a (narrow) home win.
How do you think Huddersfield will get on against Derby? Let us know in the comments!
