Frank Lampard announced as Derby County manager.
If anyone would have said to me, even two weeks ago, that Frank Lampard would be Derby manager , well, ever, I wouldn’t have believed them, let alone right now. In a whirlwind of disappointment, from being dumped out of the play offs through to Rowett leaving almost immediately after to chance his arm with a bigger budget, the white light of hope emerged. What a risk though. Only hindsight will tell us whether this is a masterstroke or a flail of desperation. If it’s the latter, I can’t see beyond major change at Derby. Not only will Frank not last, but Morris will certainly have given it his last spin of the wheel. You just can’t imagine him gambling anymore of his fortune at a dream which would be seemingly so hard to achieve, both economically and mentally.
But here, I like to be more positive.
The appointment is yes a risk, but one which has United much of the fan base. Promotion was always the be all and end all, yet with a recent poll I ran on Twitter, 68% of fans voted that style of play is their preference over promotion.
I get that it’s not mutually exclusive, but if you had to choose, the choice is style. It shows that Lampard is a huge name. Similar to Clement before, he is an unknown entity when it comes to management. But with that , comes an eagerness and a desire which often is missing in the merry go round of managers who have been linked. But unlike Clement, Lampard is a household name across the globe. It would be churlish to over estimate this but it absolutely should be taken into consideration for not only recruitment, but a chance to put Derby back on the map in terms of opportunities for commercial and ticket revenue. You can sell Lampard as well as the football club. Sponsors will be keen. Corporate will pay. It brings people through the gate and in turn, gives us opportunity go refresh the squad.
The most important part of the appointment though still lies with the fans. I have written plenty of posts about how the fans are the key for any successful team and I know there is the whole argument about who is there to inspire who…… But we can’t keep up the almost bipolar nature of our support. The hysteria followed by the desperation is way off the mark on both sides of the spectrum. If Derby fans can continue the excitement into the new season and not buckle on the first occasion that the going gets tough, it could be a great campaign for Lampard and our new era. Love the new kit by the way.
Let’s get behind the lads.
Come on you Rams!
🐏
Super Derby, Super Rams 