Relish The Challenge

Metgod urges Derby to enjoy the task of going head-to

Derby County coach Johnny Metgod says tonight’s showdown with Championship leaders Cardiff City at Pride Park is a game to relish.

Metgod, who conducted the pre-match press duties ahead of the visit of Malky Mackay’s men this evening on behalf of the coaching staff on Monday, says Derby have the opportunity to pit their wits against division’s top dogs – and show what they’re all about.

It was less than two weeks ago that Derby faced the then-Championship leaders Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and fell to a 3-0 defeat, but two games on Metgod feels that the Rams are better equipped to tackle the best the Championship has to offer.

He told Rams Player: “We’re all looking forward to it and going up against the side top of the table.

“We played Crystal Palace two games ago when they were top, but that was a different match altogether as that was away from home.

“I think Cardiff are a different side to Palace as well and hopefully we can make our attacking play count at home, because we’re a side that can create chances – especially at home.”

Metgod feels that tonight’s game can also act as a barometer to examine how far Derby have progressed this season, especially in the wake of four successive defeats against Cardiff.

The Dutchman says confidence is high in the camp after seeing off Birmingham City in a thrilling 3-2 victory in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Saturday tea-time, and he hopes the side take the confidence gained from that game into tonight’s clash under the Pride Park floodlights.

“It is an opportunity for us to have a go at them and show everybody where we are at the moment, and it’s nice to do it off the back of a win against Birmingham,” he said.

“We’ve got a tough few games coming up this week, with Leicester on Saturday too, but it many ways these games are easier to get motivated for, because you’re up against the best – whereas if you play teams near the bottom the pressure is on to make sure you beat them.

“At home at the moment we’re on a good run so hopefully we can make the next step with the team and take three points off the leaders, and keep moving up the league.”

Looking back at the win against Birmingham, Metgod said: “We played very well on Saturday and deserved the win, but we perhaps made it a bit more difficult for ourselves by not going further ahead by half-time.

“They managed to stay in the game and came back a few times, but we kept bouncing back and believed that we could win the game – and that takes a lot of guts.

“We’ve seen a lot of late goals go our way this season, which shows we’re progressing well because in the past we’ve seen them go in at the other end.

“That is immense in terms of character and that’s very, very positive because last year, or the year before, we would have lost the match and maybe then gone on a run of losing four or five games.

“We’ve been playing well all season and that creates a boost in itself, and it gives you something to fall back on when things don’t go your way.”

Watch Johnny Metgod’s full pre-match interview on Rams Player.