It seems like many Rams fans weren't expecting too much from yesterday's visit to Teesside although personally, I thought we might be capable of sneaking a draw. However maybe Steve Gibson thought the Smoggies should have at least matched Cardiff's performance against us.

Many Rams fans' perception is that when an opposition manager is under pressure and needing to win his next game, the Rams gladly oblige... and so it appeared again last night. Remember a few seasons ago when Roy Keane's Sunderland were languishing at the bottom of the league? And then they played the Rams.

And oh look! Who do we have coming up shortly? The winless Ipswich Town managed by none other than the aforementioned Roy Keane!

Well the severely injury depleted Rams did their best to keep Gareth Southgate in a job for one more week but Steve Gibson, who in the opinion of many football fans, is the most loyal of any chairman to his manager obviously thought that wasn't enough. For my part, Gibson never seems to hire the most convincing of managers and Southgate certainly seemed to fit that bill. Nevertheless, it's come as something of a surprise that he finds himself looking for a new job today.

Nigel Clough on the other hand, seems to be pretty secure in his job even though the Rams have yet to perform to expectation on his watch. One can only hope that fortunes even themselves out over the course of the season as the injuries continue to pile up. However, you make your own luck and as I indicated in last week's column, I'm slightly concerned that our problems with injuries aren't in some way, self inflicted to some extent.

Quite apart from getting the performances right on the pitch (which will probably sort itself out if we can ever consistently field our best team), surely Nigel's most pressing task is to sort out the injury situation?

We certainly need more fit bodies to pick from but I do think he's correct in not just bringing anyone in on loan just to make up the numbers as other recent managers have done.

I suppose we find ourelves yet again hoping we can limp (literally) through until the New Year when hopefully he can strengthen the squad some more.

Catch you soon.

© Steve Tickle 2009

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