Derby County Fire Manager Paul Warne After Poor Run of Results

Derby County have terminated the contract of manager Paul Warne after a disastrous streak of seven straight losses. The poor run of form has left the Rams in the Championship relegation zone, two points from safety.

Warne took over as Derby manager in September 2022, replacing Wayne Rooney after Liam Rosenior’s interim spell. Though he initially had a strong start after arriving from Rotherham, results declined and Derby missed out on the League One playoffs last season.

However, Warne did lead Derby to promotion back to the Championship in 2023-24, finishing second in League One. But the team has struggled in the second tier this season, winning just 7 and drawing 6 of their 30 league matches so far.

With Derby sitting precariously close to the bottom of the table, club owner David Clowes made the decision to dismiss Warne. In a statement, Derby said: “While Paul helped achieve promotion last season, the recent poor run of results necessitates a change.”

Clowes added: “Paul is a man of integrity who embodies our club values. His contribution in securing promotion will not be forgotten. However, results dictate decisions in football, and we felt a change was needed to give us the best chance of staying in the Championship.”

Warne had previously achieved three promotions as Rotherham manager before joining Derby. He oversaw major squad changes during both summers in charge at Pride Park. However, after releasing several first-team players before this season, Warne’s squad struggled for early results and cohesion.

The final straw came after Derby lost seven straight matches to Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Bristol City, Watford, Sunderland, Cardiff and Sheffield United. They were also knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties by Leyton Orient during this run.

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is the early bookmakers’ favorite to replace Warne at Derby. Other candidates mentioned include Steve Cooper, Rob Edwards and Russell Martin. Former Derby boss Wayne Rooney is also listed as a potential option as he seeks a return to management.