Derby County entered a crucial week in their season as they prepared for a Carling Cup semi-final against Premier League and World Club champions Manchester United, against the backdrop of their search for a new manager.

Adam Pearson said that there had been a couple of dozen serious applications from which a short list of 4 or 5 candidates was drawn up. Bookies’ favourite Nigel Clough, Wrexham’s Dean Saunders, Peterborough’s Darren Ferguson and Paul Jewell’s sidekick Chris Hutchings were all mooted to be in the running.

Tuesday’s media output was fast and feverish with managerial updates arriving hourly. By teatime we were waiting only for official confirmation from DCFC that Clough had been appointed to the Derby hot seat and it was revealed in the early evening that he had joined on a three-and-a-half year contract.

After 10 years of excellent work, Clough left Burton Albion pursuing a great opportunity to step up to the Football League.

When Forest or Derby have been shopping for a manager over the past few years (which they have both done with monotonous regularity), Clough has always been highly fancied in the betting odds but he always waved away ideas of taking on such huge roles with the two clubs deeply ingrained into his upbringing and family experiences. No longer!

Against common expectations, Nigel felt it was time to move into a bigger job. It has put the spotlight on him and will change his life totally but he has said he is ready for the step up. His appointment made news all over the world, as did the Rams’ victory over United and Derby are attracting more positive press, all centred around footballing matters and of course, Cloughs past and present.

Burton chairman Ben Robinson wasted no time in recruiting an illustrious successor to Nigel, with Rams’ legend Roy McFarland - recommended by Nigel - taking the reins at Albion, initially until the end of this season. We all hope Albion sustain their fantastic form and reach the Football League. Roy had a satisfying start at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday as Albion vanquished Salisbury 3-0 in the FA Trophy.

Nigel Clough is now centre stage at a club with a vast fanbase, great expectations and tremendous facilities. After the ultimate failures and capitulation of Billy Davies and Paul Jewell - and a new manager every season this decade - Derby certainly needs management stability and for players to deliver so as to capitalise on the potential of the club.

The appointment can galvanise interest in what was becoming another season of decline and discontent.  Nigel will need to deliver better football, appoint effective staff and cultivate players that give value for money, which demands that he turns existing squad members into competent and consistent performers.

Chris Hutchings, put in charge of the imminent Manchester United game one minute and then gone the next, has followed Paul Jewell out of the door. Academy man David Lowe looked after the team for the Carling Cup semi-final against United and Nigel then took the reins ready for the Championship away game at Cardiff on Saturday. Four managers in four fixtures - that’s going some, even for Derby County!

The game was all about overshadowed by prior events as on the evening of the game, Nigel Clough was presented to the media. He received the press with charm, assurance and quiet confidence, soundly batting away suggestions that he’d be in his father’s shadow rather than merely his footsteps, declaring how he cherished and celebrated his father’s great achievements and that they could never be a burden.

Nigel is very much his own man and will be patient and methodical rather than brash and explosive and it will be no surprise to me if he didn’t quickly make the transition to the higher level and produce an attractive, winning style of football befitting the proud legacy of ‘Ole Big ‘Ead himself.

As Wednesday’s 30,000+ crowd assembled amidst the chaos that the club’s free programme and scarf gesture had initiated, there was surprise bordering on bemusement at the team selection, with outcast Andy Todd recalled from his loan at Northampton and plunged straight into the team alongside Nyatanga. Sterjovski was selected in midfield and Kris Commons played a free role behind Rob Hulse.

It hardly needs repeating that Derby’s performance and result reverberated around the world as United were beaten far more convincingly than the 1-0 scoreline suggested. It was an astonishing performance from the Rams, given what had followed beforehand when the team regularly laboured against League (and non-League) opposition. Todd was a powerhouse; Commons struck a goal of the season contender.

All over the field, Derby’s players worked their socks off, taking responsibility and showing tenacity and enterprise. The Rams played penetrating balls when the time was right to cut into the heart of United’s defence. What a night!

Sir Alex Ferguson said that he was grateful that United weren’t ‘beaten by four’ although his defender Vidic disgraced himself by crazily blaming the Pride Park pitch and accusing Derby of winning by long-ball tactics. Derby played crisp, quick passing football on the deck - and neither Vidic nor his teammates coped with the Rams when they raided with pace and purpose.

Those explaining away United’s defeat in a weakened squad should also acknowledge the depletion of Derby’ ranks in relative terms, with the absence of Ellington (the competition’s top scorer), Albrechtsen, Leacock, Barnes, Pearson, Stewart and Davis and remember that United brought Carrick, Rooney and Ronaldo off the bench in trying to retrieve their situation to very little effect.

It is difficult to conceive that the Rams could go to Old Trafford in the 2nd leg and emulate that performance to secure a Wembley Carling Cup Final date in March - but Derby lead the tie and are 90 minutes away from glory. For now, some pride has at last been restored at Derby and the appointment of Nigel Clough has been received with great respect and interest.

Fans now want stability and entertainment, as well as seeing Derby fighting for their place in the Premier League. After more than a season of negativity with first Davies then Jewell talking the team down, incurring conflict inside and outside the dressing room and presiding over a large array of under-performing players, some sense must be made of the squad, results and performances have to improve.

Mr Clough took his first training session on Thursday morning with the focus moving to Saturday’s Championship game at Cardiff City. Clough’s backroom recruitment also commenced in earnest, with Gary Crosby, Andy Garner and Martin Taylor moving from the Pirelli Stadium to Pride Park (or more correctly, Moor Farm!) as expected.

So there is in effect a new ‘Clough and Taylor’ alongside their other transplanted Burton Albion colleagues who are ‘Working On a Dream’ to bring the good times back to Derby County! Rams fans dream that the name of Clough can lead the Rams to new glories; there are interesting times ahead and fans I’ve met since Nigel’s arrival have a renewed optimism about their club.

Whilst Nigel may have preferred a low-key, away-day start to his Rams’ tenure (if that was possible), the frosty weather claimed the Cardiff City fixture, as the match was called off at lunchtime.

The postponement gives Clough a full week with his players and is sure to increase the interest in his inaugural game in the dugout next Saturday at home to QPR, where Steve Bloomer (in the form of the splendid new memorial bust) will also be watching for the first time!

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In RamsWeek's second week of 2008 it was a case of ‘No more, Mr Nice Guy’ as Paul Jewell exhorted his team to be meaner and harder so as not to surrender as meekly as had become apparent so far that season.

Paul Jewell’s excursion into the transfer market was well under way: to underline Jewell’s resolution that Derby must be a harder team to beat, he lined up the £1.5m deal for Robbie Savage.

Full back Danny Mills joined the club; Lauren Robert and Hossam Ghaly came on loan and Emanuel Villa plus new skipper Savage made it all change for the home game against Jewell’s former club, Wigan Athletic.

Beforehand, Matt Oakley had joined Leicester and Andy Griffin signed for Stoke City. Jewell wanted to sign Glasgow Rangers keeper Roy Carroll and Aussie midfielder Mile Sterjovski, whilst young winger Lee Holmes joined Walsall on loan.

Derby lost 0-1 to Wigan, who had enough teamwork and resilience to withstand anything that Jewell’s refurbished squad could throw at them before substitute Sibiersky struck a late goal to win the points.

Derby defender Claude Davis had been sent off after an hour after a series of clumsy challenges earned him his 2nd yellow card.

Supporters awaited further transfer moves by Jewell to add to his squad and they hoped that performances and results would improve. They didn’t!

Photo: Action Images

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