3/1 To Win
Derby County manager Wayne Rooney sat down with RamsTV on Friday afternoon to preview his side’s final fixture of the 2021/22 Sky Bet Championship season on Saturday (12:30pm kick-off).
As a result of their hefty 21-point deduction, placed on the Rams for entering administration as well as a historical breach of profitability and sustainability rules, Rooney’s side were provided with a mountain to climb in their quest to avoid relegation.
While the Rams were unable to avoid the drop to League One, it wasn’t for the want of trying and the team’s performances have earned widespread praise.
The season has also provided some excellent performances, memorable home wins and some fine goals and, ahead of the visit of the Bluebirds, Rooney wants to end the campaign on a positive note.
On The Season…
It has been strange and challenging season, but also enjoyable. It sounds strange to say that after being relegated but there are so many positives which we can take from this season. There are so many young players who have stepped up, gained a lot of experience and that will really help them in the future. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster; it’s been challenging but an enjoyable year at the same time.
On Working With The Squad…
I’ve enjoyed what’s been happening on the pitch and what’s been happening on the training pitches too. Seeing the development of players as individuals and seeing the development of the group as a team, you know the work you’re putting in on the training pitch is paying off and I’ve enjoyed that. Everything that has been going on off the pitch has been frustrating and disappointing, but we are moving forward now. There are positives on that, but I’ve certainly enjoyed what has been going on with on the pitch.
On The Coaching Staff…
They’ve all been incredible. For all of us, we’ve all been through a tough period - the players and all the staff at the training ground - but also the coaches who we all deal with a lot. It’s not just me dealing with a lot of stuff, I speak to the coaches together and it has been challenging for all of us. We have stuck together, we’ve made sure we have put on the sessions which are right for the players, tried to develop the group and get the best out of them on the pitch. They’ve been really important to how I want to work and they’ve all done an excellent job. It's the first time really for the four of us in myself, Liam Rosenior, Justin Walker and Jason Pearcey, plus Ben Warner and Pete Shuttleworth as the analysts that make it the six of us doing it at first team level. Liam was on the coaching team with Phillip Cocu previously but didn’t have much responsibility on that so it’s the first time we’ve done it together. We are open and we discuss things. It’s not just me saying ‘we do this and that’s it’, we discuss things and come up with our own ideas.
On The Supporters…
I know the attendance on Saturday will be good for the game against Cardiff. For us as players and staff, we want to give them three points and show our appreciation to the fans at the end of the game for the support they have given us all season. It’s important to the fans as well. For us to walk around the pitch and show our appreciation, it’s important the fans stay in the stands at the end. I have heard they could be coming on to the pitch at the final whistle but I must ask that they stay in the stands and let the players and the staff come around and show our appreciation to the support they have shown us all season.
On What His Team Looks Like…
I will go as strong as I can in terms of the team. It’s important that we try and win the game. I’ve changed the team in the last couple of games, but it will be the strongest team I can get out there.
