Derby County boss Wayne Rooney hits out at Crystal Palace and Wigan Athletic following the sales made on transfer deadline day.
The Rams manager said other clubs have taken advantage of their situation following the departure of Luke Plange on the 31st of January 2022.
The 19-year-old striker agreed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Eagles a day after scoring in Derby’s 2-2 draw with Birmingham City.
I am very pleased to announce I have signed for Crystal Palace @CPFC 🔥
Equally I’m happy I’m able to return to @dcfcofficial in order to continue the fight in the Championship for this amazing club and this will be evident in my commitment on the pitch ❤️🤝 pic.twitter.com/ArB64E3AnH
— Luke Plange (@lukeplange9) February 1, 2022
He is one of several youngsters brought through this season by Rooney with the club in administration and is to remain at Pride Park on loan until the end of the campaign.
“Some people might look at it and say, it’s young players that (have) gone out, but we’ve been relying on young players all season, so it’s a big hit for us,” Rooney told BBC Radio Derby.
“Ideally I’d have wanted him to stay with us, maybe for another 18 months, and see him develop.
“For the club as a whole, it would have been better financially if that was the case.”
Plange only made his Rams debut on the 4th of December 2021, in their game at Bristol City, and has so far scored three goals in eight appearances.
He was not the only Derby prospect to leave the club for a Premier League outfit last month, with 18-year-old full-back Dylan Williams joining Chelsea.
Among their experienced players, Phil Jagielka and Sam Baldock were released and Graeme Shinnie had been sold to League One side Wigan.
“We’re in a difficult position and I feel other clubs have taken advantage of that,” said Rooney.
“Whether that’s Wigan with Graeme Shinnie, Crystal Palace with Luke Plange, they’ve seen an opportunity.
“There’s a reason why they’ve come in and tried to do it now because they know they are getting the players a lot lower than they are actually valued at.”
Derby’s future remains in doubt with administrators Quantuma still unable to name a preferred bidder for the club and they must provide proof of funding for the rest of the season to the EFL by the beginning of March.
Around 10,000 fans marched though Derby in support of the club on Sunday, and Rooney also rejected an opportunity to to speak to former club Everton about their managerial position – which has since gone to Frank Lampard – in order to continue the fight against relegation.
With the transfer window closed, he hopes there will be no more departures from the playing staff.
“It’s important for this club to stay alive, but if they want us to be able to do the job and try to stay in this division, we can’t afford for any more players to go out,” he added.
Derby currently sit seven points from safety ahead of Wednesday’s away game against Huddersfield Town and will be looking to pull of the greatest footballing miracle should they survive.
Twitter users reacted as Derby boss Wayne Rooney hits out at Crystal Palace and Wigan…
Which Derby got themselves into …….
— Rose Cliff (@Rowzee2209) February 1, 2022
@NowthenyUNGman: What goes around comes around have Derby forgotten about Wigan?
@CraigFarrimond: Just like derby did with Nathan Byrne and David marshall 🤷🏻‍♂️
@guvpaul1: No you are in administration things then drop in value it happens at all businesses that could go under
@FretwellMartin: Should have paid the bills then ffs
@Toffee_Alan1973: A bit like when Man Utd took advantage of our (EFC’s) situation and got the best teenager in the country for less than his value, Do you know who I’m talking about Wayne?
@MickMcCarthy92: What does he expect them to do?
@Mattersofmymind: They got ÂŁ1m for a player that’s played about 8 games, how is that taking advantage? They also got to keep him for the remainder of the season.
@KeithWa15914187: Like it’s never happened before.
@RobertS66021134: Derby played the game.. sold the ground for 81 million… alarm bells from the EFL should of rung.. teams went down incorrectly. EFL is corrupt thankfully Leeds United won’t be visiting them soon..
@Totonjohnno: Wayne isn’t the brightest is he. Players value is majority based on club and contract circumstances
@LukeHath: So they have lost Shinnie who by all accounts wasnt playing, Williams whos played a handful of games, then Plange who they got back on a loan when not really allowed too. Hardly lost a squad of players when you need to find millions.
@GarryMa82121300: Well as they say you reep what you sow and I’m not one for seeing clubs go out of business it’s the fans I feel for all that hard cash week in and week out but for the owners to frit it away and not pay bills but everyone laughed at Leeds now we’re laughing
@FrankAbagnaleNG: Didn’t Derby do that to Wigan when they were in the shit?
@Clarkey_No1: Don’t cheat then! Cry me a bleeding river. Derby took Byrne and Marshall for peanuts from Wigan. Probably haven’t even paid for them yet either…
@SD_Martin92: Didn’t derby do the same when they bought them Wigan players for twenty quid and a bag of Harribo?
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