Gary Smith still after Martin John, transfers

The season has begun in earnest for the front office of the Colorado Rapids, on and off the field.

Gary Smiff … err, Smith, isn’t content to have just added Caleb Folan on a transfer from the English Championship.

Tribal Football is reporting today that the Colorado Rapids are still after Martin John on a transfer from Cardiff City. John’s been on transfer to Conference National outfit Newport County for most of the season. With Cardiff looking more and more like they have a real chance to go up as the days go by, John probably won’t be in Cardiff’s plans for the foreseeable future. Still, the allure of playing top-flight English football might prove to be too much for him. Only time will tell.

What this does say, undoubtedly, is that Gary Smith wants to add depth ahead of CONCACAF Champions League fixtures and for the run of the season. The Rapids started to get a little tired near the end of 2010 and increased depth, especially at the back and in the target striker spot, is going to be vital to the success of this squad.

Kris Commons to Celtic

Nothing official on the Derby County website, but Kris Commons is reportedly in Scotland for a physical … the announcement will probably be made before Derby face Ipswich Town this week end.

Good luck to Kris out there … but why anyone would want to move from the Championship to Scotland is beyond me. I guess he has played for the Scottish National Team before, although he is English.

 

Derby County 0-1 Nottingham Forest 26 Jan 2011

What can you say?

Lee Camp was really good this afternoon. The Red Dogs had the better run of play, and again, our attack was anemic.

For those of you keeping track at home, the Rams have lost 8 of the last 10. Awful.

Looking more and more like Kris Commons is going to be leaving at the end of the season, as is Robbie Savage. Could this be the beginning of the end for Nigel Clough, too? (Let’s hope not – I remain a Cloughie fan.)

One thing’s for sure: this squad needs a shake up, badly. Ben Davies alone isn’t the answer.

Derby County – Nottingham Forest preview

You know what tomorrow is.

The East Midlands Derby comes to pride park tomorrow, 6 a.m. Denver time. I’ll be awake, coffee in hand, listening to the game on Radio Derby or trying to find a nice little stream coming through to my part of Colorado. (Side note: If I had DirecTV, I would have Fox Soccer Plus. And then I could actually watch the game.)

Expect new signing Ben Davies to fit into the 11 from the get go. Expect Nigel Clough to go go go after goals and expect the 4,000 or so Red Dog fans to chant and yell and scream. Expect Robbie Findley to not make an appearance (word is, he’s stateside tying up some loose ends this weekend).

Most of all, expect Derby County to win 3-1 over The Tricky Trees.

Come on you Rams.

Ben Davies joins Derby County

For the reported transfer fee of £350,000, Ben Davies, Notts County midfielder and #10, has joined Derby County pending a physical.

I like this move, although it has to make you wonder what is the status of Kris Commons with respect to any sort of contract negotiations.

Also, remember just 3 days ago, the #dcfcfans complaining (myself included) that Glick and the board weren’t going to be spending any money to make the Rams better? That seems to be out the window. And although we’re not talking about a big splash here, £350K is not a paltry sum. It can be a difference maker in the Championship.

But it is a good investment in a 29-year-old midfielder who will be 30 by season’s end?

Robbie Savage to MLS Vancouver Whitecaps?

Is Robbie Savage coming to America? In an interview with Radio Derby, he said he has been in contact with them.

He also said that the decision is the Derby’s. If they release him from his contract, it sounds like a done deal.

Wow, color me surprised.

Props to @colinbloomfield from Radio Derby and Mirror Football for the news

International Break: Rapids push and Derby needs help in net

At the international break (which is not a break at all for members of the MLS, unless you’ve been called up by your int’l side, which is not all that common for MLS players. I digress.):

Rapids need KC to lose tonight to wrap up that final playoff spot. Still lots to be decided on who will get what seed, but a KC loss gives the Rapids the chance to look forward. If they started today, we’d get a home and home with the Galaxy and one more chance to scream at Landon Donovan before he inevitably heads overseas, this time on a permanent move. Also, never miss out on a chance to shout down at Beckham. Also, maybe the last time you’ll ever see Omar in a Rapids uniform. (Thanks, Denver Post! What would we do without you? Oh, by the way, they play SOCCER at that monstrosity on Quebec? I thought it was an art nouveau Red Rocks, on the prairie.)

Derby County is firmly mid-table, sitting on 12 points, and as @overhere3 pointed out, both 4 points from the relegation zone and 4 points from the final playoff spot. There are 36 fixtures left in league play, so plenty of time to establish an identity. Bueno has been playing spot on, and Kuqi is looking to extend his time at Pride Park. Of particular concern for the Rams is the health of Stephen Bywater, who injured his wrist in the last fixture prior to the break. Frankie Fielding could come over on emergency loan from Blackburn – a true option outside of Derby’s current number two, Saul Deeney.

Plenty to keep football fans busy over the next 2 weeks.

Some additional thoughts on Derby County’s start

Four points out of six games is no good – I don’t care if you’re playing in Conference North, or the EPL. Four out of six is getting you nowhere fast, and in most cases, is going to get you sent down.

So is Derby County in trouble, or not?

I think pretty much anybody who knows this Rams team knows that they’re not looking great, but it’s a bit of a stretch to say they’re in trouble. They have things to clean up, especially at the back. Strikers need to find the net (they haven’t scored a goal in 200 minutes) – but the aquisition of Bueno on loan from Valladolid should help (although Jonny Metgod seems to want to give him a couple of weeks.)

Like everybody else, I was puzzled by the addition of Kuqi on loan from Swansea because a 33-year-old, slow target striker isn’t what this team needs.

Seems like a few people over on the Derby County facebook page are screaming for the blood of Clough, but I think it’s much too early for all of that. They can definitely pull 4-6 out of their next 3 fixtures (away to Barnsley, home to Crystal Palace and Middlesborough), which will put them at a less panicky 8-10 points out of 9 games. Things get easier for them after this weekend, but Barnsley (with a rejuvenated Jay McEveley, who has 7 appearences and a goal for them this year) is going to probably make things worse for the Derbyshire before it gets better.

Keep the faith, Rams faithful.

Championship wrap up

Times Online has a championship review up for the 2009-2010 season.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article7128220.ece

High points for Derby include the home 3-0 thrashing of Premier League-bound Newcastle United. They say this is pretty much what Derby fans assumed would go on this season, and I couldn’t agree more. They shed enough payroll to make a semi-decent splash this summer in the transfer market (which they’ve already started) and are looking to do the top-mid table team dance of squeaking into a playoff position next year.

West Brom and Newcastle go up, probably to be joined by Blackpool. Coming down next season are Burnley (look out), Hull City (struggling) and Portsmouth (give me a break).

Derby can compete next year for promotion. Already looking forward to it.