Diluted visions at Derby

Rowett right for the Rams?

Exactly a year ago, this blog wrote an article about the structural problems at Derby County. They were in the top six at that time but this blog noted the internal power struggles, which subsequently burgeoned after Nigel Pearson’s appointment.

Pearson and Steve McClaren are the two managers they have appointed this season yet lasted 35 league games in charge between them, after the latter was sacked on Sunday. Intriguingly, they have starkly contrasting styles of leadership and tactics. Pearson is an iron-fisted disciplinarian who favours a rigid 4-4-2. Derby’s egotistical big names did not respond well to his fiery temper and midfielders lacked the tactical shrewdness required to play behind two strikers.

The club then appointed McClaren, who has a friendly and informal way of handling players. He had been known to prefer a 4-3-3, the extra man in midfield allowing Tom Ince and Will Hughes the creative freedom they wanted. This worked initially as Derby made up a ten-point gap to sit in the play-off places after a 3-0 win at Ipswich at the end of January. However, a combination of lazy attitudes creeping in and an unsuccessful change to 4-2-3-1 led to a terrible six weeks that cost McClaren his job.

This blog would argue that the Yorkshireman’s good initial work had bought him time. He deserved the summer to weed out the underperforming big names and build a young, vibrant squad like the one that promised so much in his first spell in charge. Instead, owners Mel Morris and Sam Rush have opted for another change and look set to appoint Gary Rowett.

The former Birmingham boss employs a similar tactical approach to Pearson, even if he is more personable off the field and has his own connections to the club and town. Rowett will drop players who do not work hard out of possession or fit within a tactical framework, something previous management teams have not done.

However, the most successful Championship teams have always had one or two extra-talented players who are given the licence to roam and create. Rowett’s tight approach has amassed good results with players performing above the sum of their parts. However, it remains to be seen whether he has the tactical and motivational versatility to unleash one of his side’s more enigmatic magicians.

Rowett might not be a bad appointment, but nor does he represent a flawless solution to the current problems. Every approach to management has its perks and pitfalls – Derby’s board just need to back one long enough for it to work.