Rooney: “Every Game Is An Important One”

Wayne Rooney has stressed the importance of Derby County bringing down the curtain on their eventful 2021/22 season in a positive manner.

Rooney and his players have had to battle against the odds from the first minute of the season to remain in the Championship and it has been a challenge they’ve all faced in resilient fashion.

Derby started the campaign under a transfer embargo, limiting the number of players that could play first-team football, before it was announced in September that the club would be placed into administration.

That resulted in a 12-point deduction and was swiftly followed by a nine-point deduction in November for a historical breach of profitability and sustainability rules, taking the total chalked off them to 21 and leaving them bottom of the league table and written off by many.

On top of that, the January Transfer Window saw various players depart and no players added to the group which left the Derby boss relying on players stepping up from the Under-23s and Under-18s.

All of that, combined with the usual injuries and suspensions during the season, left the Rams with a mountain to climb - but they’ve battled valiantly to achieve what many regarded as impossible.

Rather than down tools and feel sorry for themselves, Derby have displayed outstanding unity and determination on the field and earned plaudits for their efforts in the most unique circumstances.

Despite falling short, with their relegation to League One confirmed on Easter Monday, Rooney and his players have earned widespread appreciation from the fanbase for the way they’ve performed.

They left the field at Queens Park Rangers on Monday afternoon to a standing ovation and hundreds of supporters later gathered at Moor Farm Training Ground to offer a warm welcome home.

The season has provided many special moments, including some thrilling home wins against sides vying for promotion and excellent performances, to leave everyone connected with the club feeling positive about the future.

Derby have three games left in the Championship this term, starting with a home fixture against Bristol City (3pm kick-off) on Saturday, and Rooney wants to round the campaign off strongly.

“I’m obviously sad, disappointed and frustrated that we have gone down but we have to remain positive,” Rooney told RamsTV.

“As I said after the game on Monday, there are so many positives to take out of this season. We have three games left, there will be a couple of changes tomorrow, and we will do everything we can to win the matches that we’ve got left.

“This gives me an opportunity to look at a couple of the younger players in terms of preparing for next season.

“What is important is that we finish the season with a bit of momentum going into the close season and we take it into next season. Every game is an important one; there are things you can take from it and my mentality and mindset is to try and win every game and I know that’s the players’ as well.”

He added: “There is always something to play for and we want to win. I’ve said to the players this morning, when I see them every day in training - tackling, putting their bodies around and working hard - I’ve no worries that they will do that in the remaining three games.

“Of course, there will be changes and opportunities for the fans to see a couple of the young players who have been in and around the first team squad and they can get some minutes. I hope they get right behind them because it’s always a big moment.”

The connection between Derby’s players and supporters throughout the season has been strong.

In fact, the bond between the two has grown over the course of the campaign and has been one of the shining lights of the season.

The atmosphere at Pride Park Stadium has been special and played a part in the Rams’ excellent home record, while on the road the Rams have been backed in large numbers all year.

Rooney says it was Derby’s players that were the ones behind the decision to go and speak to supporters at Moor Farm Training Ground on Monday evening to offer a heartfelt thanks and felt that epitomised the current two-way relationship.

“It was surreal to see,” Rooney said when asked about the events of Monday. “I said to the players in the dressing room after the game, I’ve never seen a reaction for a team who has got relegated from what I seen from the fans so that was special.

“When we got back to the training ground, there are fans out there and it was a special moment. In fairness, it was player-driven to go up to the fans. They wanted to do that and we all went back up and it was a way of saying thank you for their support.

“The relationship between the players and the fans has come through hard work. We have had a style and identity of how we want to play and we’ve tried to stick to that as much as we can.

“Ultimately the fundamentals of what we do is based around hard work and commitment and the players have done that all season. I’m sure the fans see that and show their appreciation for the work the lads have put in.”