Teale And Savage's Secret? There Is None

Gary Teale and Robbie Savage are both very much back in favour. Derby boss Nigel Clough insists there is no secret behind their form, it was always there they are just being given a chance.

"Nothing really, we haven't done anything. We have just asked them to do their jobs and do what they have done for the majority of their careers.

"We just try and pick our best 11 to win a game and say to the lads 'what has happened in the past is irrelevant to us. Go out and do your jobs and as long as you do that well enough, you'll keep your shirt'.

"People forget that for years Robbie Savage has played in a good team, cup-winning sides at Leicester. Gary Teale has played in good sides as well.

"So go and do the things that made you those players over the last 10 years or more. I think they are doing that now.

"Robbie is closing down, getting tackles in and putting his foot on the ball.

"Gary was a always a wide player, so we're saying 'play wide, get crosses in, run at your full-back', basically that's it.

"It is getting back to what they have done for many years.

"There is no secret. There is no shrink coming into play, we haven't got the psychologist in yet."

Clough was talking to the Evening Telegraph.

Players that weren't even being given the time of day by Paul Jewell are now being shown faith, and this faith in their ability is paying off. Had Jewell had more faith in them, maybe he would still be here now. His philosophy was to sweep away most of what went before and replace them as he associated this with failure, maybe the wrong philosophy to have, as repairing this damage is something that most would have wanted to do.

Clough has players playing with belief, and this installs confidence. We are starting to see the benefits of this with our play and our results.

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