Pre-Match Thoughts: Warne Looking To Make Rams Fans Proud

Derby County Head Coach Paul Warne is hoping his team can make the fans proud with two more victories - starting with the visit of Portsmouth to Pride Park Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Two wins would secure the Rams a place in the 2022/23 Sky Bet League One play-offs and, in the words of Warne, fulfil the potential in the squad.

Warne spoke to RamsTV ahead of this weekend's final home game of the regular season, with a season's best crowd of over 31,000 set to pack out Pride Park, to give his pre-match thoughts.

On having something to play for with two games to go...

I say to the lads all the time that pressure is a privilege and you want something to play for. You want big crowds to turn up and feel it and know you're alive - that's what sport gives you. Hopefully we can perform at our very best and we'll give ourselves a good chance.

On whether he's ever had a season where nothing is riding on the final few games...

No I haven't, it's exhausting. In every single season I have managed, it's been one way or the other so I've never had nothing to play for and nor would I want it to be any different.

We've put ourselves in a good position to get ourselves into the play-offs but so have Bolton Wanderers and so have Peterborough United.

I think League One has been really good this season and everyone in the top six, bar Plymouth, have been in the top flight so they are all big clubs.

On how different Portsmouth are now under new management...

They are a little bit different as they are more possession based than they were previously.

That's the biggest thing I think I've seen. They've been on a really good run but I just think they play a little bit more. I'm not saying that the previous regime was wrong or right, there's no wrong or right because it's about getting results.

On whether he wants others to start chipping in with goals away from David McGoldrick...

Didzy can take all the highlights it's fine. It doesn't bother me who scores.

The proper coaching answer is that everyone has to chip in but it doesn't bother me who scores. It doesn't bother me if we win by three own-goals on Saturday.

Didzy has missed shed loads too, but a good striker does. The best players put themselves in the position all the time.

Most of the chances come in the last 30 minutes of a game and his performances have merited him staying on the pitch.

My bugbear is still that we should have another 10 goals or so from corners so that's something I will definitely address in the summer. If we had another 10 goals from set-pieces we'd find ourselves in a much healthier position and wouldn't be relying so much on open-play goals.

On Saturday being the biggest crowd of the season at Pride Park...

I know how much this football club means to everybody but it seems here because of what happened last year, everyone is just so grateful to have a football club. You feel it when you come to Pride Park, everything about it feels like a real beating heart football club which is a real honour to manage.

I appreciate this is 'League Three' football and not what Derby fans want to see particularly but there are moments in our play that are really enjoyable and I feel like the fans have a real affinity with the players.

It's a really good place and I just hope we can fulfil the potential with a good end to the season and get into the play-offs. If we do then I'd fancy us against anyone.

Hopefully the season can continue and hopefully everyone can still feel real proud to be a Derby County fan because it is a real club to behold.