UK Edition
Nigel Pearson suspended and faces sack as Derby County manager after explosive row with chairman
Nigel Pearson is facing the sack at Derby County after an explosive row with chairman Mel Morris, with former manager Steve McClaren already emerging as a potential replacement.
Pearson has been suspended by Derby following a heated confrontation with Morris at the club’s Moor Farm training ground on Monday afternoon, 48 hours after the 2-1 home defeat by Blackburn Rovers.
Following the meeting Derby have taken drastic action, with the club’s manager unlikely to return.
McClaren, who left Derby acrimoniously in May 2015, is understood to have already been discussed as a possible successor, along with former Hull City manager Steve Bruce.
McClaren was sacked after a dreadful end to that season but his style of football still has support in the boardroom in the iPro Stadium, though it will still require a leap of faith from Morris to reappoint him. He subsequently took over at Newcastle but lasted only nine months and was dismissed in March this year.
Bruce is also available after leaving Hull before the start of this campaign and will be another target.
Pearson’s days at Derby are numbered with sources even claiming that Monday’s confrontation was not an isolated incident.
Morris requested the meeting with Pearson amid growing concerns over the 53-year-old’s methods and his reaction to the home defeat by Blackburn in the dressing room on Saturday. The club have opened an internal investigation and a decision is expected before the weekend.
Derby have scored only three league goals this season and not won in six matches but results are not believed to the primary reason behind the suspension.
Chris Powell, Pearson’s No 2, took charge of the game at Cardiff City last night and the visit to Reading on Saturday.
Derby’s statement read: “Nigel Pearson will not be carrying out his duties at Tuesday’s game at the request of the club. The club will make no further comment at this time.”