The Sky Sports pundit claims to know exactly what’s been wrong at Derby County for the last few seasons.
General view at Pride Park
Former Nottingham Forest midfielder David Prutton has been explaining to Sky Sports what he sees as the reasons for Derby County’s struggles.
After turning to former Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson at the beginning of the season, things were not going well for Derby County.
Struggling to adjust to Pearson’s rigid 4-4-2 formation, the usually creative, attacking side floundered, and after a run of poor results, Derby County Chairman Mel Morris parted ways with the manager they had only brought in in the summer.
Turning to former boss Steve McClaren, who led the Rams to the play-off final in 2014, Derby County enjoyed a revitalisation from October through to the end of December, and looked to be back on course for a potential push at promotion.
However, as the case seems to be almost every season at Pride Park, Derby County have once again fallen away at the beginning of the year, and now look destined to spend yet another season in the Championship.
So what’s going wrong at Derby County? Pundit David Prutton thinks he has the answer. Speaking recently to Sky Sports, the former Sheffield Wednesday player had the following to say:
Derby manager Steve McClaren
“It’s got to be a mentality problem,” the Sky Sports pundit suggested.
“The pattern of their form tailing off can’t be a coincidence. They’ve had the same drop off this season but due to their woeful start this is why they’re in mid-table rather than still in the promotion picture.”
Derby manager Steve McClaren
Derby County could still be near the bottom of the table as well if they hadn’t parted ways with former boss Nigel Pearson.
McClaren’s turnaround of the Rams has been exceptional up until this point of the season, and now Derby County need to find some warriors in their side. But do they have any?
On this Prutton added, “When you look at the players they’ve brought in over the years – Bradley Johnson, Jason Shackell for example – they both know what it takes to get out of the division.
Derby’s Bradley Johnson
“You don’t look at them and think ‘he’s a bit soft – does he want it?’ and that they would jump ship at the first time of trouble. They are good characters.”
If it is a deep-seated mentality problem, as Prutton suggests, perhaps the only way forward for Derby County is a squad overhaul? To move on some of the longer-serving players?
Derby County celebrate after Nottingham Forest’s Nicklas Bendtner scores an own goal
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
