Quartet of coaches take over from Cocu at Derby

DERBY COUNTY have named a coaching quartet to take interim charge of the club following the sacking of Phillip Cocu on Saturday.

Player-coach Wayne Rooney, specialist first-team coach Liam Rosenior, first team development coach Justin Walker and goalkeeper coach Shay Given will take charge of the Rams for their Championship game against Bristol City on Saturday.

Cocu was sacked along with assistant Chris Van Der Weerden and specialist first-team coach Twan Scheepers on Saturday after 16 months at the club.

The Dutchman took over in July 2019 and led the team to 10th place in his first season, but they are now languishing at the bottom of the Championship.

"Phillip and his staff helped develop and establish a considerable number of Academy players in to the first-team squad and Phillip made significant financial contributions and personal efforts towards the club's community projects during the Covid-19 pandemic, which the club are extremely grateful for," Derby said in an official statement.

Cocu added: “Although this season has not gone as we all would have liked so far on the pitch, I believe passionately in the project that we started to build and I have no doubt that the future is bright for the club.”

Rooney, who joined the club as player-coach in January 2020, said: “I am sorry that Phillip and his staff have left the club and want to thank him personally for all his help and encouragement as part of his coaching staff. The most important thing now is to stabilise the club and start moving up the table.”

Given, who won 134 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a player, joined the club in June 2018 as goalkeeper coach.

Walker was promoted to his first-team role at the start of this season, having previously been in charge of the Under-18s, and was responsible for aiding the transition of players from Academy to the senior side.

Rosenior joined from Brighton in July 2019 and worked on the development of individual players, especially the younger ones.