Derby have appointed Gary Rowett to improve their fortunes, but should they have stuck with Paul Clement all along?
New Swansea City manager Paul Clement
Derby County have entered yet another new dawn with the appointment of Gary Rowett as manager – their fifth permanent boss since May, 2015.
With just one win in their last nine Championship matches and ten points off the playoffs, Steve McClaren’s sacking by the Rams was unsurprising.
Perhaps when Derby parted company with McClaren the first time around a little under two years ago, they should have given his original replacement, Paul Clement, more time.
As a successful assistant to Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at that point, Clement had an impressive CV and he quickly guided the club into a playoff spot.
Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti and assistant coach Paul Clement before the match
Yet after less than a year in charge in February, 2016, and the club in fifth and five points off top spot, the 45-year-old was also given the boot. They failed to improve on that in the final table and are currently tenth this season.
Meanwhile, Clement has continued to prove his credentials in the Premier League, taking relegation-threatened Swansea City from bottom to 16th via five wins from his nine league games.
Hopefully Rowett will be afforded more time.
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