The latest brutal Derby County points deduction update all but confirms Championship relegation unless they perform a miracle.
The Rams face near-certain relegation to League One with Wayne Rooney’s side set for a further nine-point deduction, taking the total loss to 21 points.
They were already working under a 12-point penalty imposed for entering administration and are now poised for a further punishment of nine points by the EFL for historic breaches of financial regulations.
The imminent deduction will be a huge blow to Rooney, who inspired a strong response from his players after they originally went into administration on the 22nd of September.
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The former England captain was made Derby’s permanent manager at the start of this year and has always previously stressed his commitment to the club through various periods of crisis.
Rooney’s side sit seven points adrift of safety following the deduction and are waiting to hear if their appeal against the original 12-point penalty is successful.
Administrators Quantuma continue to try to find a buyer who can rebuild the club and they remain in discussions with at least three parties according to reports.
Wayne Rooney said he will not walk away from his role at the second tier club after they were handed a 12-point deduction for going into administration.
“I will fight for the club. I wouldn’t leave the staff in the lurch. They need someone to lead them. I am committed to this football club,” Rooney told reporters in September.
He also hit out at the owner Mel Morris for his handling of the situation.
“In my opinion, it wasn’t sincere enough, it wasn’t heartfelt enough, and it wasn’t done with enough honesty,” Rooney said.
“Obviously he has moved on and we have to move on and put Mel Morris to the back of our minds.
Credit: Derby Telegraph
“I personally haven’t spoken to Mel Morris since August 9. I still haven’t had a one-on-one conversation, no phone call, no text message. Nothing.
“I find it a bit disrespectful, to be honest. Communication is so important, whether it’s good news or bad news, so we can deal with it.
“He doesn’t have to apologise to me,” Rooney told talkSPORT’s Ian Abrahams. “I’m not asking for an apology, I just found, as manager of this football club, getting questions from players and staff and not being able to answer them, I was hurt by that.
“He’s put a lot of money into the club, and I know he deserves a lot of respect for that, but then there’s a way of handling things, of being open and honest about things, and that didn’t happen, so I was a bit disappointed.”
While Rooney admitted he probably wouldn’t have taken the job had he known the extent of Derby’s troubles, he insisted he will not jump ship during this difficult time and will stick by the club that gave him his first shot at management.
“I doubt it,” he said, when asked if he would have become Derby manager if he was aware of their financial difficulties.
“I will fight for the club,” he added. “I wouldn’t leave the staff in the lurch. They need someone to lead them.
“I’m committed to this football club. I’m ready to fight.
“I grew up in a council estate in Liverpool, I know how tough things can be, I know how tough life can be and we’re in a tough moment.
“But if you put the effort and the work in, you can get through it.
“I care about the players and the staff here, what type of person would I be if I walk away now and go and put my feet up, go on holiday and sit in the sun for a few weeks?
“I don’t think that’s the right way to deal with it.
“I’m prepared to try and get this club into a stable position first of all, and then hopefully in the future we can start looking a bit further forward.”
Fast forward to today and Wayne Rooney will now begin preparation for the longer term.
Any plans going forward should go into focusing on an immediate return to the Championship will relegation to League One looking likely – a look at the manager, players, infrastructure should be organised in advance.
Will Rooney remain at the club following relegation? Which players will stay? Should Rooney spend the rest of this season playing their younger players to give them experience, or even raise their transfer value?
Finding a new owner is a must when it comes down to closure. The biggest obstacle remains to be Derby County’s £28million tax debt.
Now the club’s administrators can begin work on that, in terms of finding a way for the club to sustainably manage and deal with that.
The saga with the EFL is far from over, while the last thing for the Rams to finalise would be to involve, or go through the EFL, with the debacle with Wycombe Wanderers.
Fans have reacted to the brutal Derby points deduction update which all but confirms Championship relegation…
Unbelievably sad for one of the great Midland’s Clubs to be in this situation. Let’s hope new, ambitious owners are found and Derby can return, once again, to their rightful place.
— Phil Queenan (@philq001) November 10, 2021
— Lee (@TrickyLMC) November 10, 2021
#nffc pic.twitter.com/9pVFcq8Ton
— Thomas Newton ® (@Tnewton_1988) November 10, 2021
@thegoalzone: EFL is not fit for purpose- punish club and fans not the man responsible for problems
@robertkilcoyne2: It is imperative that an official regulator for football is established by Act of Parliament, with all clubs, owners, directors and leagues being licensed; the regulator would deal with real time monitoring of club finances and corporate governance matters @tracey_crouch
@RobertP40442261: Poor Wycombe I say, done like a kipper by the EFL
@sim__and: What the fuck have Wycombe got to do with it. These are charges from 2018. They weren’t even in the Championship then, when we supposedly got that “advantage”.
@SenseSimon: Don’t think there is a single Derby fan that didn’t accept long ago that we would be in League 1 next season. As long as the club survives and doesn’t go into liquidation that’s really all that matters.
@AmbroseBarnaby: Ah well, league one it is, at least we can move on!
@B6Nigel: Derby County are a proud club with a loyal fan base this is really sad, I hope they bounce back soon. 👍🏻
@justinb0905: As long as parachute payments still exist, relegated Prem clubs will always have a huge advantage in the championship. It’s the clubs trying to keep up with their spending power, who will go to the wall. Wake up people. Could happen to any club.
@Timlad71: It was inevitable. Reboot needed. Enjoyed Div 3 last time many years ago. Is it going to affect me? Not at all. I’ll renew for next season & do a dozen away games. Interested to see so many ex premier league teams down there. Pompey a proper away day. #dcfc #dcfcfans
@DcfcFansTalk: @EliasBurke?!? Why did you get our hopes up about it being 3 points
@EastRams: That’s this season over then. To be honest on recent form we don’t like overcoming the 12 point deduction, let alone any more. May as well get it wrapped up this season and spend our time trying to find a keeper who can cope with league one standards for next year
@docdave60: I wonder how Richard Keogh is feeling this evening. Maybe he’s having a few in The Joiners.
@fowls21wwfc: Yet the big 6 got nothing for a super league? Shameless
@NavrinSidhu: This should have happened a long time ago so planning for L1 next year can take place with hopefully new owners and better financial position to rebuild from next year onwards. Morris really had the fans on strings for years and abused the club. #dcfc
@bango_don: Cheers Mel Morris and @EFL have played big part in this. This could ruin the club for years. Yes @EFL you have got what you wanted
@Stef1885: Stop whinging , your lucky your still in the EFL, you broke the rules and have kept your place in the league unlike my club Bury FC.
@DirtyLeedsFC: Leeds fans have spent 20 years dealing with the actions of a long-gone owner(s). We had 25 points deducted and lost everything. None of it was the fans fault
@fearsatanremix: Let’s just hope this punishment does not put off potential buyers – buying a club destined for League 1 with numerous players out of contract this season is not an attractive offering .
@SCFC_Rhys2: Feel really sorry for the Derby players, fans and everyone associated with Derby. Having that amount of points deduction this early in the season is a blow. Season over for them. Hopefully they’ll bounce back soon
@AdamCoo36557438: League one will do as long as we can support Derby County
@dannyswhite: Scenes on the 19th March 2022 when Coventry City relegate Derby County into league one at Pride Park👌 #PUSB #dcfc
@dcfcpete82: Inevitable confirmed, just want this all over with and to start again with new responsible owners, hopefully the start of a new dawn is creeping closer with this news, we’ll be back!! #dcfc
@AlexBignell_: But after the ESL scandal where 6 clubs actively tried to supersede their league were given a slap on the wrist and pathetic fine. If this shit doesn’t prove that football is corrupt nothing will.
@PicardyBreezer: Best chance for #DCFC to draw a line under the whole affair. Pile it all into one season, take relegation & build from scratch in L1. The possibility of #PVFC facing the Rams in the league next season is an exciting one personally, albeit I hoped it’d happen in the Championship
@JLongmate93: Almost a relief to get this resolved. As long as this wraps it up and there are no further sanctions I’ll take it. If we can manage to attract stable ownership going into the new year I’ll be buzzing for league one #dcfc
@PaddySisyphus: This would be a shame. I wanted Rooney to take them down fair and square, which I am convinced he would do even without any points deductions; thus vindicating my position that he is simply not a football manager.
@GeorgeD_93: Hard to believe it is only over three years ago, when Derby celebrated like they won football forever at Elland road in a playoff semi final. Now they are on the verge of relegation to league one, and Leeds are in the premier league for a second season. Football. #lufc
@SabriLamouchi11: Premier League lowest points- Derby 11 points. Championship lowest points- Rotherham 23 points. (So far). Are we thinking what everyone else is thinking? Worst team in history for the top 2 divisions. What an achievement it will be. #NFFC
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