The build-up to the Rams’ next Premier League match was overshadowed by the international games.

Especially of course with England’s final opportunity to qualify for Euro 2008. It’s a shame that the ‘world class’ English squad got another reality check with the horror result against Croatia, though Rams fans are used to such disappointing medicine this season!

Billy Davies started the week with some optimism, reporting that Claude Davis & Dean Leacock looked to be on their way to fitness ready for the Chelsea challenge on Saturday. Andy Todd’s specialist diagnosis on his troublesome back was inconclusive however and the absence of the experienced defender leaves Davies still short of all options.

Jay McEveley was fit again and the Rams’ Scottish contingent, of whom only Kenny Miller figured (as a substitute) in the Italy match all benefited from the training with the Scottish squad, so Billy’s injury worries have diminished.

Billy offered some defiant comments early on this week, informed by the Disney-inspired jibes from media hacks. Davies declared that Derby were a ‘Mickey Mouse’ team – but said that this was a couple of years ago, when Derby were in the Championship’s bottom 4, £50m in debt using a caretaker manager with only 17 squad players and just the ageing Paul Peschisolido on the books in the striker department.

He had given a fighting retort, and said his staff and scouts were scouring Europe and beyond for quality players to draft in. This was all very refreshing after the repetitive siege mentality PR issued recently and the club forever trotting out care-worn comments about ‘the situation we were in’, and the seemingly endless ‘learning curve’ whilst the team on the pitch display the careless and disjointed surrenders of recent months.

I was beginning to fall asleep listening to Billy or reading the official site, in the same way that George Burley could also readily cure insomnia with his fluffy drone!

However many platitudes about how much the manager and squad has achieved in a short space of time, the fact is that ramshackle and ineffective performances littered with elementary mistakes spell only a loss of hope, supporter disaffection and condemnation alongside inevitable relegation.

What is clear is that the new Executive Chairman Adam Pearson won’t want many match days like the West Ham fiasco and if the team can’t get into the groove and at least compete, then Pearson’s job in selling the club to overseas investors is made that much more difficult and the manager’s position would ultimately come under question if goals never come and points aren’t being won.

It’s a long time until next May 2008 and any reassurances that the club gives about the manager’s position at this time may be taken with a large bag of salt in my opinion!

Mo Camara went out on loan to struggling Norwich for the rest of this year as a Pride Park clearout looks in the air. Other loanees who may be moved on soon are Michael Johnson, currently at Sheffield Wednesday, John Macken at Barnsley and Bob Malcolm, who recently joined QPR.

Young defender Lewin Nyatanga is still at Barnsley too though it is anticipated that he’s there to gain experience rather than being surplus to requirements - he is set to return to Derby in January.

Supporters usually require their scapegoat targets and all but Nyatanga above have fulfilled such roles at Derby. In the final analysis, such players were acquired largely for cover and made an occasional contribution. They may only number amongst those rapidly departing players that the manager had declared - even before this season kicked off  - as those which might not ‘make the journey’ all the way to establishing themselves in the Premier League with Derby. We’ll know soon enough.

There was some joy to record in midweek when Steve Howard, through his Scottish descendancy, debuted for the Scotland B team against the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday - and scored an 83rd-minute equaliser, his first goal of the season. Let’s hope it boosts his confidence for the Rams’ Premier League battles ahead! Only 3,100 fans saw Howard’s goal, however – after the cauldron of Hampden Park for the Scots’ nearly-glorious Euro 2008 game against Italy last weekend, Steve had a far more modest outing at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium.

Another week, another alleged fraudster charged. The ongoing investigation into Sleightholme’s incompetents and cronies has seen a 5th man charged with fraud. Mark Waters, apparently a businessman from the south-east, is accused of false accounting and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. Soon, the criminal proceedings will reveal more about the goings-on at Derby County under the pathetic stewardship of the cardboard Yorkshire barrister.

I didn’t note last week that Rammie, specifically in the personage of long-serving Dean Mottram - had recently departed the club. There seemed to be some ill feeling in the background about Dean’s departure and now a newcomer will carry on the invaluable community work and matchday representation.

Thanks and good wishes should be recorded to Mr Mottram for his excellent contribution to the club whilst in his sheepy suit.

In the build-up to the weekend’s games, it was interesting to note the comments of Wigan supremo Dave Whelan after he’d nicked manager Steve Bruce off Birmingham City. He said there had been a lift in mood and that he’d told the players not to be fazed by the prospect of playing Arsenal, whom they faced on Saturday, saying: “They’re just another football team, like us…” We want more comments like that from Derby directors and management – backed by the funds to improve the squad.

Chelsea arrived and notched up the anticipated victory to push themselves amongst the Premier League leaders and increase Derby’s woes at the foot of the table. The 0-2 defeat however saw a Derby performance that was a vast improvement on the weak display against Everton that produced the same scoreline.

The Blues dominated most of the game and the first half echoed many Rams performances this season, with Derby simply second best and chasing shadows; Chelsea took a half-time lead and looked comfortably in charge.

Billy Davies must have rattled off some home truths about competitiveness, movement, responsibility and teamwork at the interval because Derby were transformed, finding the energy and determination to take on Chelsea. It was a fighting, attacking display that roused the 33,000 crowd - who just need a spark, some encouragement to bay their loud support and urge the Rams to fight for what seemed impossible earlier on.

When you’re luck’s out, you’re luck is out - and Derby had a brilliant equalising Kenny Miller goal chalked offside, a decision criticised by all the pundits. Derby then suffered the heartbreak of Chelsea stealing a goal after Giles Barnes was clearly felled from behind in midfield. Derby expected the whistle for a free kick (and a Chelsea yellow card, realistically) as did 33,000 others – but it never came; predictably Derby hesitated and Lampard struck the post within seconds from the ensuing attack and England failure Wright-Phillips reacted quickest to plop in the rebound.

Derby’s “up and at ‘em” approach in the second half rustled Chelsea’s easy control and the Rams won some much-needed respect instead of the routine derision that fans have become so weary of.

Given the limitations of the squad, Derby County players still have their fate in their own hands (or feet, as it were). Roy Keane’s Sunderland got taken for seven (7) goals at Everton, Birmingham, Wigan, Reading and Middlesbrough all lost whilst Fulham drew and improving Bolton (dammit) beat Manchester United. The 'relegation pack' haven't pulled clear of Derby.

However, it was Billy’s after-match interview with Colin Gibson on Radio Derby that caused raised eyebrows far beyond the legions of Derby supporters travelling home from the game.

In a sudden act of brinkmanship, Davies used (or I could say abused) the relief and pride that was felt at Derby’s spirited second-half display against Chelsea to launch renewed demands for the Rams’ board to show faith in him and allow him to invest significantly in the playing squad in the January 2008 transfer window.

Davies declared that he hadn’t spoken to Executive Chairman Adam Pearson for three weeks and clearly indicated that he wanted to know where he stood in the scheme of things. “It would be nice to have a conversation”, Davies blurted, with Gibson reporting that the manager’s body language was very animated. Derby had come commendably close to matching £200m Chelsea and Davies made an aggressive demand for maximum support from his board of directors.

“The problem we have is that we have to invest in the playing staff of this club. Hopefully I can see the chairman - who I've not seen in the last three weeks - and hopefully if there is any investment then it goes towards the playing staff,” said Davies.

Rather in the way that Davies dampened the Wembley promotion celebrations in May with an outburst that implied that Derby County might not hold on to him much longer, Billy went on the attack when his stock looked to be on the rise with an impassioned challenge to his new boss to back him with big money.

Pearson declared that he was “surprised” at Billy’s comments about any lack of contact with him saying that Davies’ after-match assertions were wholly inaccurate. The Executive Chairman said he’d phoned Billy on Saturday night and then announced: “I’ve organised a meeting at 9 o’clock on Monday morning and, uhh…I suppose we’d better minute this one.”

So, is a new storm brewing at Pride Park Stadium; is a showdown imminent between board and management? As the great John Fogerty sang: “I see a bad moon rising, I see trouble on the way… looks like we’re in for nasty weather, one eye is taken for an eye.” This doesn’t appear to be just a storm in a teacup.

Billy does like his own way; how Adam Pearson now stamps his authority on the club is a test of his diplomatic skills that will be most interesting to observe - but fans won't want to see further drawn out and damaging Pride Park schisms like the ones that split George Burley and Murdo Muck-aye and Jeremy Keith and John Sleightholme...

Will Pearson muzzle Billy? That looks impossible! Will Pearson empower Billy to spend big in January? His retort to Billy’s post-match rant and accusations makes that look somewhat doubtful. Will Pearson respond on Monday with a show of ultimate power or will the handbags be put away? Is there really a united front at Derby or more upheaval to come? Is Pearson’s view of Davies coloured by the under-usage of the £4.5m that Gadsby & Co invested in Earnshaw and Feilhaber?

Has Pearson got his own ideas about the management and coaching regime he wants at Derby County? A sizeable chunk of the fanbase might expect Adam to be loyal to Billy unless he has some grand scheme afoot with some major coaching ‘name’ involved to be seen as an exciting coup for the club.

Will Pearson involve significant new investors that demand (or share) a ‘new broom’ approach, which would see the club supplant the current management regime? Will the Executive Chairman follow through to defend and retain the manager whatever the club’s status come Sunday, 11th May 2008?

It seems that Davies’ brash and confrontational attitude is fuelled by declarations made by the Derby board that BD will stay in charge come what may next spring…I’m not now so sure of that predictable outcome!

Will Derby County ever exhibit harmony and stability, given its turbulent history? Don’t hold your breath, fellow fans! Events off the pitch next week could prove interesting indeed, with the manager and new Executive Chairman quite clearly on a collision course at the moment.

Objectively, if there have not been serious strategy meetings involving management about squad investment with the transfer window little over a month away, then they’d all better bury the hatchet and get on with it. We under-invested in the summertime - not wholly out of boardroom caution, it should be said - so Premier quality players must be successfully targeted to come in and improve the squad, not just make up the numbers.

Rams fans do not want their season ticket and stadium sell-out loyalty reduced to a team of hapless chopping blocks for the next six months with manager and Chairman at each other’s throats. 

Just to round off a week of ‘might have beens’ at club and international level, beleaguered England found themselves in a World Cup qualifying group alongside Poland, Northern Ireland and... Croatia! Funny game, football!

RamsWeek 47 last year saw Einar record a five-star month for the Rams – Derby won five games on the trot and Billy Davies was heading for a Manager of the Month Award.

The Rams snuffed out the feeble Foxes from Leicester City to complete the 5-in-a-row, with Jon Stead scoring again, his chance carved out by the exciting Giles Barnes being the only goal of the game. Where exactly is Leicester?

The Rams marched on in December 2006 towards the top of the Championship, whilst the sparky second half performance against Chelski on Saturday gave fans renewed hope that we are starting to find a competitive edge that will enable us to mount a genuine Premier League survival bid.

Photo: Action Images

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