3/1 To Win
With any new manager comes a fresh start and Chris Martin is keen to make an impression on Phillip Cocu as he eyes a return to the Derby County fold.
The striker, who has been with the club since 2013 after joining from Norwich City, found opportunities limited under the previous two managerial regimes.
Despite this, the 30-year-old has not rested on his laurels and has been out on loan with Reading and more-recently Hull City during that time.
He spent last season with the Tigers and made over 30 appearances as they fell just short of the Play-Off picture after rising from the relegation zone to the fringes of the top six.
Now back at the Rams, the striker is hoping to make an impression on the new manager to ensure he is in his plans moving forward.
“Everyone has got a clean slate, as is what normally happens with most new managers,” he told RamsTV. “We will be fighting tooth and nail to be in that team come Huddersfield Town away on the opening day of the season.
“It’s great to have that competitiveness and knowing the lads here and the group we have got, I don’t think that will spill over and be any animosity in the camp.
“It’s just real strong healthy competition and we want to see each other, and the club, do well. The new manager has come in and he’s been really calm and relaxed.
“We have been working on some tactical stuff so it’s going to be interesting to see the direction he wants to take the team in. Everyone is just looking forward to the challenge.
“We have had conversations in training with the different coaches and we are trying to understand their position and where they are coming from in terms of the tactical side of the game and their vision for this season and going forward.
“The Chairman spoke about it as well in terms of the vision that he sees for the new manager being similar to what has been put in place before so it should make the transition easy for everybody.”
Martin still has plenty of time to impress the new management team as the pre-season training camp in Florida hits day four.
“I’m just really happy to be here from my point of view,” he said. “It has been a few tough days. It’s very humid and it’s the hottest conditions I’ve been in.
“The lads are losing two or three kilos every session just in sweat but that is just part and parcel of pre-season.
“You have got to do the running as much as certain people like myself don’t particularly enjoy it, you’ve got to do the hard yards and that will stand us in good stead for the season moving forwards.
“The lads have definitely put the work in over the last couple of days.”
The striker’s passion for Derby County is evident.
His affection for the Rams and the club’s supporters is clear to see too, after hitting the net 64 times so far in a Derby shirt.
“Anytime that I have been around the stadium and the training ground, all the fans have only had good words to say so hopefully that can continue and I can give something back,” he commented.
“I have really loved playing for this football club, my family love the area, my kids have grown up here, my daughter, especially, was born in Derby, so this does feel like home for us and hopefully I’m able to stick around a little bit longer this time around.”
