It’s all looking up for The Rams with McClaren’s return to the dugout resulting in an immediate turnaround.
Derby County fans were understandably divided when Steve McClaren returned last month to ostensibly finish what he started at the iPro.
Given the boot after twice failing to guide one of the league’s most talented, and expensively assembled, squads into the Promised Land of the Premier League, McClaren returned 17 months later, battered and bruised by a harrowing spell at Newcastle. It’s like he’s never been away.
After the turbulence brought to the club by the one-man wrecking ball, Nigel Pearson, the sight of McClaren’s warm, genial grin on the Derby touchline is sure to calm the nerves of even the most vocal doubters.
After all, Saturday’s impressive 3-2 win at Wolves, comprising of two Tom Ince goals, a Darren Bent wonderstrike and the club’s finest first-half performance of the season by a distance, had Derby’s new/old boss marvelling at his team’s rapid rate of progression in recent weeks.
There’s a long way to go if Derby are to salvage anything from their season but, luckily, there’s a long time to do it in. Another three point haul may mean The Rams are mired in the mid-table rat race, but the remarkably competitive nature of this tightest of tables means they are only two wins from the play-off positions.
After months glancing over their shoulder, you can forgive the Derby fans for looking forward.
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