Cocu: “If You Start A Mission And Don’t Believe, You Won’t Succeed”

Phillip Cocu insists everyone in the Derby County camp must display belief in their quest to take their fine form at Pride Park Stadium onto the road.

Derby boast the second-best home record in the Sky Bet Championship this season with nine wins and five draws recorded from 16 matches.

Cocu’s side average two points per game on home turf and, in all competitions, have won their last five fixtures at Pride Park.

On their travels, however, the Rams haven’t been as productive with one win and five draws registered from 14 matches.

Derby now have the chance to pick up points on the road with back-to-back trips to Swansea City and Bristol City.

They will head take on the Swans at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick-off), before travelling to Ashton Gate next Wednesday (7:45pm kick-off).

In their last ten matches in all competitions since the latter stages of December, Derby have won six and drawn three and Cocu is confident the side aren’t far away from an upturn in form away from home.

“The next two games they are tough games at Swansea City and Bristol City,” the Derby boss told RamsTV.

“We will work every day to try to get the result we want in an away game. The team is doing well, the feeling is good and the team spirit is high.

“I think sometimes you need a little bit of luck to come your way and we give everything like we did against Stoke in our last league game to do it.”

He added: “We have to believe it because if you start on a mission and you don’t believe in it you won’t succeed.”

Last season’s trips to Swansea and Bristol City provided a return of four points, with Derby drawing 1-1 at Swansea in their final away fixture of the league campaign while goals from Tom Lawrence and Jayden Bogle secured a 2-0 win at Ashton Gate last April.