3/1 To Win
Gary Rowett is excited about the prospect of Derby County getting their 2017/18 Sky Bet Championship season up and running – and he knows the importance of making a strong start to the campaign.
Derby will kick off the new season with a trip north to take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on tonight (7:45pm kick-off).
The Black Cats, fresh from their relegation from the Premier League last term, are anticipated to be one of the sides fighting for promotion.
Rowett admits he can’t wait for the game to come around and feel the matchday buzz – and has also revealed his determination to get Derby off to a strong start to this season.
Derby have been slow starters in the last two campaigns and the 43-year-old wants to put that right this time around.
He told RamsTV: “I am excited of course, massively excited, but I think we forget that we all live in a pressure bubble of wanting to get promoted and do well.
“It is a great job here and to turn up every day and work in these surroundings and facilities, with the players we have, you must embrace and enjoy it. I am excited and really looking forward to the game.
“I will go through the same as the people watching or listening to the game; you have high and low moments. You have to see through it to guide the team through the right path.
“Pre-season is great but it is nothing like the first game and that’s what we are all here for and enjoy.”
He added: “It’s going to be a long season and we know that we have to start well; that’s massively important.
“My teams have always started seasons well so I hope that we can continue that. At the same time, some things will go well on Friday and some parts not so well.”
Assessing tonight's opponents, the Derby boss is well aware of the threat Sunderland pose.
Although it has been a summer of change at the Stadium of Light following relegation from the top flight for the first time in a decade, the Black Cats still possess Premier League quality.
New manager Simon Grayson has freshened up his squad for the new season and Rowett wants his players to ensure they make their return to the Championship begins with an uncomfortable start.
He said: “From afar I am sure Simon has gone in there and tried to work out very quickly who wants to be there, so there has been some change – but that’s not for me to comment on.
“We’ve had change of our own here and we have to focus on what we do and how we prepare and approach the game. We are looking to go there, be positive and cause Sunderland lots of problems.
“We have to respect they have players that played in the Premier League last season so, regardless of the fact they were relegated they do have players of quality. We are going to have to be at our very best.”
