Football Food For Thought / Frank Gregan / 19 March 2008 /

Legendary non-league manager Frank Gregan wonders how Paul Jewell manages to motivate the likes of Robbie Savage and Kenny Miller knowing Derby will be in The Championship next season

'We will not accept relegation until the mathematicians say it is certain" and "It's not over until the fat lady sings" are two of the oft used clichés when sides are staring into the abyss. It should be noted that the pre-match entertainment at Pride Park for the game between Derby and Fulham in two weeks time features appearances by Carol Vorderman and Alison Moyet. Derby are doomed, history, toast or any other word you would like to insert that indicates they will be playing in the Championship next season.

So how does Paul Jewell motivate his troops between now and the end of the season and what is the mindset of a player who knows that no matter how well he performs, his club is to be relegated?

Jewell will be motivating his players by pointing out that in the most part they are not "his" players but are staff that he has inherited. He has said publicly that there will be wholesale changes to the playing staff at Derby before next August and he will be emphasising to the players that if they want to play a part in the future of the club, now is the time to show him what they can do. The irony is, given the chance in the summer the majority of his players would love to jump ship to a side that has survived in the Premier League. Realistically though, who from the Derby squad is likely to be a transfer target? Robbie Savage as a squad player for one of the lesser teams perhaps and Kenny Miller has probably done enough to secure another chance at this level. That's about it and is the main reason that Derby are where they are now - a dearth of quality!
From the players' perspective the pressure, to a certain extent, is off. They know they are already down and their form has been so dreadful this season that the expectation gauge at Pride Park is set below sea level. But they are all career footballers and a number of them will be out of contract in June and most of those with time to run will have contingency clauses written into their contracts reducing their remuneration in the event of relegation. Those who have not got that financial provision inserted on the back of their contract will of course be covered by the parachute payment but for once it's not about money for these footballers.

They have tasted the big time, the Premier League and that is where they will want to stay. The sports psychologists that they have worked with will have drawn up all their individual goals, material targets will have been achieved thus far but nowhere in the career plan is relegation factored in. The desire to secure a move to a Premier League club in the summer will be immense. I'm sure if you were a fly on the wall in the Derby dressing room the rallying cry that you would hear the most from the players before stepping into the tunnel would be "Let's do this for ourselves." That is what will keep them motivated, the desire to keep themselves in the shop window. Their agents will be working the phones and emails touting their abilities but with the exception of the two players I've already mentioned I think it will be a case of trying to sell a pit pony to JP McManus!
Where the pressure really is on is with the other six clubs up to and including Newcastle, two of whom seem destined to join the Rams next season. The players have their own futures at stake and that makes for a nervy training ground and jittery performances on the park. I'm confident that Newcastle will not go down, if they do there will be a rather spotty backside on display in Woolworth's window in my town centre at the season's end, courtesy of my normal Geordie bravado coming to the fore during a few beers with some friends!
Ergo it is two from five and despite tremendous home wins against Villa and Everton recently I still think that Fulham are destined to be relegated. I have already backed them at [1.55] and subsequently laid them at [1.3]. They are now [1.56] and I shall be investing a few bob in that direction again with a view to laying it later on. I'm now down to one from four, Reading, Sunderland, Bolton and Birmingham. The two bets I like the look of here are laying Bolton at [2.14] as I think that is much too short a price and backing Reading at [7.4] because I think that is massive. I will probably wait until after Bolton's game at Old Trafford when their odds are likely to be even shorter.

Reading have had back-to-back victories in recent weeks over Middlesbrough and Man City. However, those six points represent the only points they have taken out of the last thirty three in a run of games that included eight successive league defeats.

That [7.4] represents great value although the mathematicians will argue that the percentages are currently in their favour. However, I have heard a little whisper that the Royals have booked Dawn French to sing the Status Quo classic "Down, Down" during their pre match entertainment for the last game of the season!

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: