Rams buys and pre-season review

I don't know about you, but I love this time of year. After a summer break that seems to get shorter and shorter every year, football is back. Not only have the players reported back for pre-season training but Derby County are playing pre-season games once more.

The pre-season games are fun. You never quite know which players you are going to see and you get to see players you might not see in the first team all season. It was great to get my first ever glimpse of Jermaine Johnson, Arnaud Mendy, Ben Pringle, Aleksandar Prijovic, Henrik Ojamaa and other youngsters against Arnold Town ... plus the added bonus of trying to work out who on earth Tom Erik Nordberg was and whether he might be good enough to join the mighty Rams or not? This, on the back of watching impressive performances by trialists Patrick Kisnorbo and Mark Fotheringham against Burton Albion.

Nathan Tyson, will he be a target, Stuart hopes not

It's also interesting following, or at least trying to follow, all the media speculation about possible ins and outs. Will Rob Hulse go to Middlesbrough (I hope not) and, if he does, will we be signing Nathan Tyson from Nottingham Forest (again I hope not) as his replacement? Are we really interested in gazumping Blackpool by signing Charlie Adam (I hope so) from Glasgow Rangers? If we do, Ian Holloway is going to be one very unhappy man - just like our former manager Billy Davies at the other end of Brian Clough Way. Will we hold onto Kris Commons (I hope so but a bid of £3million plus might be too good to turn down)?

And then, of course, there's the opportunity to get a first look at the new signings that have arrived at Pride Park. So far this season there's been that first look at Jake Buxton, Ben Pringle, Dean Moxey and Lee Croft at the Pirelli Stadium with the prospect of Shaun Barker making a first appearance at Saltergate against Chesterfield.

So who else might be joining the Rams? Well, Patrick Kisnorbo and John Brayford look very possible according to the media, as does a young central midfielder on loan from the Premiership, probably Mark Randall, possibly Barry Bannan, maybe someone else? And then, will there be any surprises? Charlie Adam maybe, a new striker, who knows?

Nigel Clough knows what he is doing and can hopefully recreate his success at Burton Albion.

I know some people are underwhelmed by the summer signings but I think Nigel Clough is going about things the right way. The run of good results the Rams had when Nigel Clough first took over last season, before the injuries really kicked in, proved that our strongest eleven was very competitive in the Coca Cola Championship. What the manager is doing this summer is getting rid of the deadwood and bringing in good, young players to fill the areas where we struggled last season (most noteably the defence), whilst at the same time strengthening the squad and the competition for places is a sensible way to go and mirrors the approach that was so successful at Burton Albion.

Nigel Clough knows how to build a team as he proved so well at Burton Albion where the odds and lack of resources were well and truly stacked against him. The manager has an eye for footballing talent and what makes for a successful team and I fully believe he will bring success to Derby County ... given time. Ambitions for this season may be modest - improve on last season, finish mid-table, possibly pushing for a playoff place, allow the young players to get used to playing at Championship level so that we can really push on the following season. What's wrong with that? Absolutely nothing in my opinion.

Am I getting excited? You bet I am ... Saturday August 8th and a home game against Peterborough United just can't come round fast enough for me!

Stuart Hughes...