Phillip Cocu arrived at Derby County a very bruised manager.
A spell with Fenerbahce had been an absolute disaster. The Dutchman was sidelined and almost bullied by others at the Turkish club, his treatment was very bad indeed.
That’s why he was so careful when taking over at Derby, wanting to make sure he had the right backroom team and the full support of those in charge at the Championship club.
With Wayne Rooney being announced as a player-coach this week, it would have been understandable if the Dutch media had showed some worry for Cocu. It’s unlikely the former Manchester United and Everton striker arriving was the manager’s idea, so there could be questions over a power struggle.
However, De Telegraaf go the other way.
The Dutch newspaper, who were very good and ahead of the curve covering Cocu’s move to Derby, report on Wednesday that the manager very much backs the arrival of Rooney and ‘secretly knew for a while’ that the club were set to bring him in.
