Good Morning Taiwan and everybody,

For Bailey to be on the list he doesn't have to have done wrong in NC's eyes. He is second choice mid-fielder as shown last year and maybe he just wants first team football. As you say he is a good player and is obviously ambitious. I can envisage a frank conversation with Nigel in which he wanted to know his chances and Nigel told him in the honest way he speaks. He's well worth keeping but I don't imagine keeping the sub's bench warm is what he wants to do.

It's no secret that money is in short supply ar Derby. In such circumstances I can easily see why both club and player would want a transfer without there having been a fall-out

I just think that part of Clough's brief is to replace players where possible with younger, cheaper ones via either the Academy or lower leagues. The emergence of Hendrick and now Hughes has meant that Bailey can be let go without detriment to the team. I personally think that both of these are better players now than Bailey and will go on to be much, much better. And if he is to be sold, then now is the time, when he still has a year left and can command a fee, rather than this time next year.

Clough has said that there hasn't been much interest in him, though. If we don't get offered more than a couple of hundred K for him it will be interesting to see if he stays.

Last apostle.
You are right I think. But it's clearly the club's business strategy rather than Clough's brief to find players from lower leagues and the academy. A small point I know since it amounts to the same thing.

Bailey is a mid-to-lower Championship player and, like it as not, that's probably where we are as a club too.

So why sell him? Well, he's fifth-choice for the CM spots, he might still attract a small fee and we can manage without his wages every week too. I'd rather see the fat trimmed from midfield and the little savings there used for bringing in a striker (or even two!)

In conclusion then, Clough out

Well if one of the reasons Shacks got the boot was because he didn't put his body on the line, I'd say at the very least the same could be said of Bailey, always give me the impression he was more in interested in his man bag than putting himself about.

As already said cloughie's brief is to 'trim the fat' wherever possible and it does a 23/24 year old no good to be, more than likely, sat on the bench all season.

Decent player, not quite good enough.

Well I've not heard anything about him being bullied yet......

TAR, as everyone has said! Not quite turned into what he could have, unlike Brayford who we bought in same deal and is still improving. Out on contract at end of season so we look to sell now for a small fee we can reinvest. Sound business sense and good football sense as well.

suprised someone on here has not come up with a rumour regarding bailey, nigels dog and body fluid .
according to some JS did put his body on the line , trouble is he crossed it ,
Todays prediction Burton 2 RAMS 6 !!!!!

Ok, seriously is a Clough a master hypnotist or something:

"I personally think that both of these are better players now than Bailey and will go on to be much, much better. "

Hughes has played 1 game and Bailey is far beyond lower Championship. The lad was playing most of the season injured and still looked worth his spot, he just needed someone to help build up his confidence and strength again, not flogged about, and once again our club treats its players like used cars. I know I would not want to come to Derby if I looked in as an outsider and saw the club being so disrespectful to players whom clearly did not diverse it.

This is just my opinion, Taiwan, obviously you think more highly of Bailey. I think talking of "being disrespectful" and "like used cars" is harsh - it's just the nature of modern football that most players, in fact the great majority of players, do move around at frequent intervals. Management is a constant juggling act of resource, contracts and available players, and decisions must be made. All players can't be kept forever, after all.

I've got nothing against Bailey, but I don't see letting him go as any different from any club letting any player go - the manager gets paid to make such decisions. As I said, I would prefer Hughes on the bench to Bailey on the bench. It is time for Hughes to step up, as it was for Hendrick last season. Maybe the lack of interest in Bailey from other Championship clubs suggests that the general opinion of him isn't quite as high as yours.

Tai, I don't know how many games you've watched over the last couple of years but I've yet to see Bailey influence a game in any significant way. Hendrick and Bryson are both better, more influential players. Bailey has plateaued. May not be his fault - he was ill and injured - but we can't let him leave on a free if, as seems likely, we won't offer him a new contract next year.

Peeder spot on mate. His best performances were about a year and a half ago. Me and misty were going on about him saying he could be the next best thing. But then he got injured and never got his form back after that. But I'm with most on here, may as well get rid and put the money towards a striker, hopefully????

" mostyn" BLoody phone

comment by Peeder, patron of lost causes (U1684)
posted 20 minutes ago
Tai, I don't know how many games you've watched over the last couple of years but I've yet to see Bailey influence a game in any significant way.

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i had high hopes for Bailey, and still do if I'm honest. He has something that not many players in our side do, VISION!

It would seem that he's at least 5th choice for a central midfield spot behind Hendrick, Bryson, Hughes and Coutts, and even Ben Davies got to play there against Mansfield so possibly 6th choice!

This transfer used to rate as better than Brayford for me, but Clough has his reasons....

Mos that is the thing, Bryson and Hendrick are better, ok, but hughes has played 1 game, he needs another year or 2 before he will be really ready in my opinion, and if we rush him, we risk ruining him.

As for Coutts and Davies, they are not really CM's, so I think if let Bailey go we look really thread bare in the middle and that is my problem. We should not being selling a player who I think is at least considerable as half-decent, when our team is already skinnier than a stray dog in Taipei.

If we had 4 solid CM's and Bailey honestly was not good enough, fair enough, but we don't and he is; so our clubs desperation to sell him shows ether he upset the wrong people, or our club is in real trouble.

Similar views to Wassa - he appeared to be a great addition in his first season with good passing ability but in season two his form hasn't been great. This could be down to injuries and lack of confidence. Add to that Clough preferring Tom Carroll (who struggled in midfield) to Bailey then it's not going to help improve the lad's confidence overall.

Also Bailey requires first team games to develop and if Clough can not provide that to him he's offering him the opportunity to go elsewhere. It is a shame as I saw potential in Bailey - he could turn out to be a decent player but it won't be in a Derby shirt.

If only Derby scouts could renew their passports and catch a ferry to France and have a look at the second and third divisions. I'm sure there would be a cracking defensive midfielder to snap up.

I think if clough could he would keep bailey but i think the fact he has a tight budget and coutes bryson hendrick etc to play in there he wants to fund some cash for a centre forward... well i would hope!