PAUL PLANS TO RESTORE PRIDE
Let's put the pride back into Pride Park - that's the message from Paul Jewell as he embarks on life as Derby County's 26th manager.
Jewell gave his first interview to RamsWorld on Wednesday after being unveiled as the new gaffer on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
"What I want is to be getting the best ouf of the players," the 43-year-old revealed in an interview now being screened.
"I want them believing in themselves and playing with pride in that shirt - the stadium is called Pride Park so let's go and put some pride back in it."
Jewell arrives at Pride Park to find Derby bottom of the Premier League on the back of scoring five goals and earning six points from their 14 games so far.
But he's more than familiar with this kind of situation from his spells with Bradford City and Wigan Athletic.
At Bradford he saved them from relegation from Division One in his first season, took them up to the Premier League in his second and kept them there in his third.
Jewell found Wigan treading water in Division Two before taking them up in record-breaking style and ultimately bringing top-flight football for the first time in the Latics' history.
Wigan's debut season in the Premier League saw them finish a comfortable tenth, and reach the Carling Cup final.
The 2006/07 campaign wasn't as successful but it was no less dramatic as a last-day victory at Sheffield United saw them hang on to their status - at the expense of the Bramall Lane club.
Jewell says belief among players and supporters is a key factor.
"When you lose football matches, supporters will be coming to the stadium expecting to see their side lose," he said.
"We have got to change that but we start with the players.
"The most important thing is that if they believe they can get a result when they're out on the pitch, that translates itself to the terraces.
"What I will be saying to the players is that yes, we are up against it, but I have been up against it before - so can we improve on what we have done so far?
"If we can't then we will get relegated but I believe these players have a lot of improvement in them.
"All I'll be demanding from them is that they give everything they have got."
Jewell added: "Obviously the objective for this season is to try and survive, and we know it is going to be difficult but we are not defeatist.
"I am a realist and - difficult as it's going to be - there are enough points to play for and we are not marooned.
"Yes we are some points behind the other teams but we can hopefully improve and that is what I'll be looking for from now to the end of the season."
One thing to hold up despite the form this season has been the tremendous backing provided to their team by the Derby public.
No home league game has been witnessed by less than 31,000 people as Rams fans continue to turn out in force every week.
That's a scenario that Jewell is keen to keep going.
"The fans are so important to football clubs, whether it is a small band of fans or a large band," he said.
"We have got a large band here and what I want to try and transmit to the supporters is that they are a part of our team and we need them to stay on our side.
"We know it has been difficult but 33,000 through the gates every week shows that they are committed.
"I will be trying to make sure that the team on the pitch is as committed as the fans are on the terraces.
"If we can do that then we can move forward."
