Rooney’s Rams starting to make some noise
WAYNE Rooney believes his Derby County side are starting to become more vocal after watching them win 1-0 away against Queens Park Rangers.
It was the first time this season that the Rams have recorded consecutive wins and they moved five points clear of the Championship bottom three as a result.
Colin Kazim-richards’ goal in the second half against QPR meant the Rams followed up last Tuesday’s 1-0 home victory over Bournemouth with three more points.
Derby have won five and drawn four of the 12 League matches in which Rooney has been in charge.
Rooney was asked after the game if he had noticed whether his players were becoming more vocal and replied: “Yes. It was a quiet team, communication helps.
“The way we are playing we want the players talking, whether that’s a 16-yearold or a 35-year-old, we want players to feel comfortable speaking up and giving instructions.”
He added: “We started well but lost control of the game.
“From an organised press we were doing well and then they (QPR) started to by-pass that press a little bit and that was causing us problems which meant Graeme Shinnie and Krystian Bielik had a lot of ground to cover at the side of them and we were getting outnumbered in there.
“I just wanted to get another body in midfield. George Evans came off, not because of any fault in his performance. It was more to get Birdy (Max Bird), another midfielder, in there and try and get some control back in the game.”
Rooney is delighted with the enthusiasm the Rams players are showing as they respond to their new manager.
“As I have said over the last few weeks I know I am quite demanding, I do put a high demand on them,” said Rooney.
“The minimum I expect is to work hard. People think you can work hard but it is not an easy thing to do.
“The hardest thing to do on a daily basis is to work hard and so I have to keep reminding them about that, keep pushing.
“If you do that in training, you will naturally do it in a game.
“The togetherness they are showing, the enthusiasm they are showing is fantastic. I thought Waggy (Martyn Waghorn) came on and gave us good energy, Kornell (Mcdonald) also.
“Max Bird came on and did fantastically. He knows the way we are playing at the minute he might have to adapt his game a little bit to get in the team, and he has responded superbly.”