Clough to prune Rams' squad

Clough: will look to trim squad

I will have a look at the squad and see what we need to do. We are going to try and trim the squad because it has got quite large in number over the last few months.

Nigel Clough
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Nigel Clough will set about trimming Derby's squad after officially taking charge as manager of the Rams.

Clough, following in the footsteps of his late father Brian, inherits a first-team squad consisting of 34 players in total.

His predecessor Paul Jewell is largely responsible after bringing 19 players to the club during his tenure.

It may not be an easy task for Clough following Derby's performance in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final against Manchester United.

The 42-year-old, making the step into league management for the first time following a decade at Burton Albion, watched the Rams' impressive 1-0 victory at Pride Park from the stands.

The players involved will have done their chances of remaining at the club no harm, while everyone else must aim to impress Clough quickly if they are to avoid a January exit.

"We will get down to business on Thursday. I will have a look at the squad and see what we need to do. We are going to try and trim the squad because it has got quite large in number over the last few months," Clough said.

"It is very difficult to keep that sort of sized squad happy as only 11 can play on a Saturday. It's horrible when you are a footballer not to be playing on a Saturday afternoon, everybody wants to do that.

Essential

"But you have to have a healthy-sized squad to cope with injuries and suspension and the like. However, there is a fine line between that and having lads sitting in the stands who really should be out playing football."

Clough hopes to assemble his backroom team as soon as possible. He plans to bring Gary Crosby, Andy Garner and Martin Taylor with him from Burton Albion and hopes the trio could be in place in time for his first league game in charge against Cardiff on Saturday.

"We are going to sort the staff over the next few days. Three of them are hopefully coming this week and then we will sit down and assess the rest of the staff over the next few months and the remainder of the season and see what we need in the summer," said Clough.

"I have worked with them for 10 years and I think it is essential to get people that you trust, and I trust all of them. Not just that, I feel we can all do a good job here as well."