Promotion-chasing Derby have dispensed with services of their head coach just a month after leading the Sky Bet Championship.
Club Chairman Mel Morris revealed the news today, announcing that Clement was to leave the East Midlands side with immediate effect due to failing to satisfy expectations on a number of fronts.
In the same press conference, long-time Academy Director Darren Wassall was unveiled as the team’s new head coach for the rest of the season.
BREAKING: #DCFC have parted company with Head Coach Paul Clement. Full story here: https://t.co/LVKg24q01a pic.twitter.com/xExVx38Fd3
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) February 8, 2016
The news has come as a shock to some outside the club, considering Paul Clement’s burgeoning reputation in the footballing world. A former member of the backroom staff at Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid where he worked closely with Carlo Ancelotti, Clement had been earmarked by many as a future star in football.
But delving into his reasons for the sacking, Morris suggested that the highly-rated Clement had missed the target on some philosophies key to the club.
“The priorities were building on the Derby way and style of football enjoyed in the past two seasons; adding depth and strength to our playing squad; and developing and improving player and team performance” said the Chairman, as reported by the Derby Telegraph.
“Sadly, on these measurements, we have not made enough progress and that is why we have decided to part company with Paul.”
While the style of football has attracted criticism from fans as of late, the idea that Clement did not make the grade on the adding of depth to the Derby team may raise eyebrows. Since the Londoner’s arrival in early June, the club has sanctioned moves for big names like Tom Ince, Bradley Johnson, Austrian Andreas Weimann and Jason Shackell.
And the spending continued last month, when Abdoul Camara, Swedish international Marcus Olsson and former Reading striker Nick Blackman swept through the doors of the iPro to bolster the Rams’ promotion charge.
Although the Chairman stated today that promotion was not Derby’s primary objective at the beginning of the season, the signings the club made have arguably increased pressure on them to succeed in this endeavour.
A mere month ago, Derby’s path to the top flight did appear to be running smoothly with the side topping the table following a December unbeaten in seven matches. Clement also knitted together a stellar 10 game unbeaten streak stretching from September until November- until eventually succumbing to fierce rivals Nottingham Forest.
But the Rams have experienced a torrid start to 2016 and are still yet to win a league game this year. The draw at Fulham last weekend, salvaged only by an excellent Craig Bryson strike, leaves them five points off the top in fifth position.
New manager Darren Wassall will be hopeful that they can reverse the rot and capitalise on what is a very tight and congested leading pack to launch his team back into the automatic play-off positions. His work starts with Saturday’s home game against the struggling MK Dons.
