I was in the process of writing a post saying just what you say in the first half of the above when I was knocked sideways by Sam Rush's utterly stupid and completely unfair decision. The financial disparity of parachute payments and sugar daddy cash makes this a very difficult league to get out of.

So if GSE suddenly have funds which were not available to Nigel what the hell is happening. And if they don't release such funds it will be Division One next season.

If Sam Rush thinks appointing McLaren is compatible with getting into the Premier league, he must be on medication. Ludicrous. For the first time since Clough took the helm, I fear relegation.

I think it is very easy for fans to get come up in the negative media around Steve McClaren and miss the fact that he has had more success than failure and where he has failed has been down to lack of experience and naivety in many respects.

The handling was bad of NC departure no argument there but no one can say he had not had the time. This bull about money does not always ring true. Other sides have escaped this league in recent years with far less resources than even us and have done it with solid man management of the limit quality they had, ie getting the best out of a team of components rather than getting the best out of individuals, which to be fair is something Clough failed to be on both counts.

This could be a stroke of genius or a disaster only time will tell.

Lets not forget that I and many others have had the opportunity to speak to Mr Rush and he has always said Clough had money and choose not to spend it. Who is to be believed I'm sure will come out in the wash.

"...This could be a stroke of genius or a disaster only time will tell...."

Consider me aligned with the latter, Dru.

Moj, are you going to be the new 666?

Rush looked like a deer caught in the headlights on that interview. His 'smile' looked like it was operated by Team America:World Police animatronics.

Scouse, if we appoint him, yes I am.

I keep hearing that Clough had money.

But how much money. Without knowing that we cannot make a decision.

It wasn't enough for Baptist.

Sackcloth and ashes for you this week then Moj?

Like you, I was one of Cloughs greatest supporters, I really wanted him to do well. I think this is in no small part to me being 51 and therefore being so influenced by his dad when I was a snotty nosed kid? But now he's gone, we'll just have to get on with it!

The money becomes a side issue and fundamentally academic.

Those with a balanced opinion will accept Clough left the club far better than he found it. I for one will always be grateful for that. However he played the biggest part in his own demise.

You can not argue the fact other managers have got out of this league with a lot less than Clough had.

Enough have peddled the I support the club not the manager argument and I love Derby I support whoever is manager until that point no longer suits the argument.

However as Milf has just pointed out who would seriously brave enough to compare their CV's if Steve McClaren does arrive.

Anyone got any details on this in the Daily Racist?

"Clough’s exit was sealed following the 1-0 defeat at the City Ground. He became embroiled in a furious slanging match with Rush in full view of Derby’s players as they made the short trip home.

The ex-England international discussed loan targets in his post-match debrief.

But after the row Rush canvassed opinion among Derby’s directors and the decision was taken to bring their manager’s four-and-a-half year reign to an end."

This would imply it wasn't just a strategic decision.

McLaren, operating with the same funds as Clough will not be able to get us out of this division. (Except perhaps downwards)

Could this be the dream management team?
Head Coach - McClaren
Assistant Manager - Seth Johnson
Goalkeeping coach - Mart Poom .
Defensive coach - Igor Stimac.
Attacking coach - Dean Saunders and Grzegorz Raziak
Youth Coach - Darren Wassall
DoF - Stefano Eranio
Fitness coach - someone who's not overweight and can chase after a fan!

If this is true it shows that Nigel failed to learn from his dad. You cannot take on the owners of football clubs and win unless you are like Billy Davies and believe that winning is the big pay off for the sack.

He may well not get us out of this division on the same budget but I think your being unfairly harsh IMO on a man with a far superior record in football to Clough and writing him off before he has had a chance to fail.

Dome had the argument placed to them with regards Clough to not afford the same to whoever comes in seems unfair.

'some' my useless fingers

The argument on the bus, which did feature on some twitter feeds until they disappeared does mean the situation was not structured for the outcome. Clough would feel hard done to regardless. Maybe his actions forced the issue of the board or Rush had already canvassed opinion before the call.

Who knows

'does not mean the situation' damn this silly tiny keyboard damn youuuuu

There are a few managers who have got sides promoted on a lower budget (really, what was the budget and how does it compare to ours).

even if they did get promotion on a lower budget, there are many, many more who didn't end finished mid table or lower.

So, are we now on a managerial merry-go-round until we fluke a promotion under one of them or is there suddenly a budget available to get Baptist and the quality players needed to increase our chances of promotion.

In pre-season Rush said that our transfer targets where to improve the team to make us top six. Where are they?

I've kept my own council until now in the hope that my anger would dissipate; unfortunately it hasn't. The sacking of Nigel is just another example of the Yanks not having a clue about football.

I would like to go on record and thank Nigel for laying the foundations for the club to move forward, it's just a shame that we cannot remove the board with the same callousness that the board has sacked Nigel.

We are where we are and as supporters all we can do is suck it and see as I don't see any sugar daddies looking to take over and provide the serious investment required to bring in some real quality, instead of untested kids.

One thing is for sure I will be a Rams fan til the day I die and long after the Yanks have gone.

I am entitled to say whatever the hell I want actually Dru, and after the way Clough has been treated this weekend, I will have a long way to go before I even come close to being as harsh as our laughing boy slap-headed fuzz-faced director.

Mclaren was on a 3 month contract which just happens to run out today. Curious.

It should be noted that I was prepared to give Clough a go at the job despite reservations about the logic behind his arrival, and the very things I wrote about in November 2009 are the self-same things that are widely-acknowldeged today.

If Moj decides that he'll not back the new manager, whoever that turns out to be, without even having the good grace to watch and assess first then it completely undermines that viewpoint and demonstrates it is an opinion based on loyalty to a fallen idol rather than objectively formed.

You're all Derby fans first and foremost, or profess to be, so by all means grieve for the boss you wish we still had but don't let that get in the way of progress. It's happened, it's done, and the majority are going to move forward behind the Rams. It's your prerogative not to, but don't pretend it's anything to do with the new man if that's your decision; it's based entirely on the fact you have decided to put Clough before Club.

I didn't really want Clough to go and I think appointing Steve McClaren will be a mistake *but* until I earn my first 1bn and can buy Derby myself I have to go with the flow!

Personally speaking, whoever comes in will have until Christmas 2014 to make his mark (a couple of transfer windows to bring in their own players)

After that we will know whether if;

A. The new manager is any better than the last
B. Whether GSE are willing to invest in a promotion bid.

666

Seems massively hypocritical to write Steve McClaren off before being given the opportunity to fail IMO is unfair and that my opinion.

The vast majority gave Clough the opportunity before voicing are concerns.

Certainly seems emotion is ruling the head a little.

'our' damn you touch screen

I think this was all done badly, I'm guessing here but it seems like Rush and Clough had the traditional alpha-male bust up again.

I think some of Rush's reasons are justified but wish he'd had the skills to highlight these to Clough at the end of last season. These are our targets, we want to see more activity in the transfer market, we want to see more tactical diversity and we want a director of football.

Clough would probably have said bite me, but the two of them could have then tried to work it out from there. Clough would have known where the board's frustrations lie, Rush could have listened to Clough's arguments and at that point Clough could have said okay I'm out or the two of them could have sat down and put some decent targets down on paper and moved forward.

Now it's all boiled up into this and the club i feel is delicately poised between equilibrium being maintained or sh't hitting the fan.