Derby County have appointed Gary Rowett as their new manager.
New Derby County manager Gary Rowett
Derby County today appointed Gary Rowett as their new manager – and he has received a message of support from former Rams defender Igor Stimac.
The Rams sacked Steve McClaren on Sunday evening after a run of just one win in nine Championship games, which ended the club’s hopes of a play-off place.
Having made over 100 league appearances for Derby as a player, Gary Rowett quickly became the clear favourite for the job – and earlier today, he was named as the new Derby manager.
Rowett, 43, worked wonders with Burton Albion before leaving for Birmingham City in 2014, and he turned the Blues from relegation candidates to play-off hopefuls before being sacked in a surprise move in December.
The former full back is now back at Pride Park to take the reins with Derby, and his first game in charge will be against biggest rivals Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.
Derby’s Igor Stimac holds off Everton’s Ibrahima Bakayoko
Rowett will be keen to get off to a fast start and also end the season well, and he has received a message of support from former Rams team-mate Igor Stimac.
Croatian Stimac, who played as a defender for Derby, is currently managing in Qatar with Al-Shahania, and he has taken to Facebook this evening in order to urge Rowett to bring back courage and pride at Derby.
Stimac added that he wants to see Rowett ‘clear up the dressing room’ and bring in leaders, before reminding the new Rams boss not to forget to beat rivals Forest this weekend.
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