Derby County boss Wayne Rooney has singled out Rams defender Curtis Davies for praise after his side’s 2-1 win over Stoke City last night.
Derby County took their points tally up to 10 with a win at Stoke City last night.
Luke Plange opened the scoring in the first half before former Derby man Tom Ince put Stoke City back on level terms with little over 10 minutes to play.
The Rams dug in though, and found a deserved winner through Colin Kazim-Richards in the 85th minute.
Rooney’s side have now won their last three in the Championship. They’ve taken their points tally to 10 for the season, having been deducted a total of 21 points – relegation stills seems the likeliest outcome, but Derby are giving it a real go this season.
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Players are stepping up to the mark and no player has been as credible as Curtis Davies this season. The 36-year-old hasn’t missed a single minute of Championship action for Derby County this season, putting in formidable performances every single time and proving to be a huge fan favourite at the club.
‘Incredible’…
Speaking to RamsTV after last night’s win at Stoke City, Rooney had this to say on Davies:
“The players aren’t just giving everything to me but they’re giving it to this club and to the fans. They are working extremely hard and if you look at someone like Curtis Davies, who has played every minute of every game at his age, is incredible.
“We are all in it together, all fighting and we are all trying to bring some hope back to the fans.”
Experience is the teacher of all things…
One thing that a club in Derby County’s situation needs is experience, and Davies has bags of that. He made his league debut for Luton Town way back in the 2004/05 campaign and has since represented the likes of Aston Villa, Leicester City, Birmingham City, Hull City and Derby.
He’s been with the Rams since 2017 and has seen the current predicament they’re in unfold before him. He’s witnessed the devastation that’s beset the club first-hand but he continues to play and act like a model professional, and he’s become a real credit to the club.
Players like him, and Phil Jagielka for example give Rooney some much-needed leadership qualities on the pitch and in a time where the Rams are having to field a lot of younger players to cope with their situation, that leadership is vital.
Up next for Derby County is a trip to Reading in the New Year.
