Derby County is experiencing a disaster season. Due to the severe financial problems that grip the club, the Rams have already been deducted 21 points this season. Manager Wayne Rooney has to make do in Derby with a stripped-down selection, but at the same time that ensures that the necessary young players can break through at the moment. One of them is Festy Ebosele, who has already caught the attention of clubs from England, Italy and Germany.
Scouts from Derby County crossed the Irish Sea several times to watch Ebosele at work. The name of the attacker with Nigerian roots has been buzzing in Ireland for years. Local journalists spoke of the . after their visit to Bellefield – home of amateur club Moyne Rangers – finest schoolboy performance that they had seen in their lifetime. Ebosele entered the youth academy of Bray Wanderers at the age of 13 and at the club currently playing in Ireland’s second tier his talent was recognized by Derby County within three years.
“It took a year. Scouts have seen several matches and followed his progress. After that, we had to agree on a lot of things,” Fustas told the Irish Independent. Where his peers in Ireland imitated Frank Lampard on muddy pitches‘, Ebosele tried in his first year to put himself in the spotlight with the former midfielder. However, the Young Ireland international did not appear on the radar with Lampard and his sacked successor Phillip Cocu during his first two and a half years in England.
However, Rooney has had to make do with a lot less resources than his predecessors for the past year and a half. Mel Morris wanted to leave the club in October 2019 after having invested €232 million in Derby County in four years. However, for the past two years, the English businessman has been unable to find a buyer for the club. And while Morris was unwilling to close the financial holes any longer, the losses rose sharply, partly as a result of the corona crisis. The financial problems piled up and as a result the Football League (EFL) Derby County imposed a transfer ban last summer.
Ebosele has so far played nineteen official games for Derby County, in which he scored a goal and an assist.
Rooney had only nine at the time senior players from the selection that barely managed to avoid relegation to League One last season. Although the EFL eased the transfer ban slightly and as a result, under strict conditions, five more reinforcements – including Phil Jagielka and Ravel Morrison – could be brought in, Rooney this season at Derby County mainly has to make do with players from his own youth: Max Bird ( 21), Jason Knight (20), Lee Buchanan (20), Louie Sibley (20), and Ebosele.
Ebosele has been converted to right-back and made his debut in the Derby County first team from that position last season. Where that was three times as a substitute, Ebosele had a starting place in eight of the fifteen games he played this season. Due to the attacking qualities that stem from the time when he still played as a midfielder or winger, Rooney also regularly uses him as a wingback or right midfielder. During the away game against Millwall in November (1-1), Ebosele scored his first goal as a professional footballer.
Derby County celebrate Ebosele’s goal against Millwall.
“He’s played right-back for the past few years, but he has so much speed and power that he scares defenders when he comes at them,” Rooney said of Ebosele after the game with Millwall. “He needs to get even better defensively, we know he’s working hard on that. He is a player with whom we are working very hard. If we do that in the right way, he can become a very good player. We talked a lot with him and watched videos together to make him a more attacking player. You’ve seen that with Mikhail Antonio at West Ham United and Adama Traoré at Wolverhampton Wanderers: they changed position that way.”
The breakthrough of players like Ebosele is one of the few bright spots for the supporters of Derby County in an otherwise pitch-dark season. Morris was forced to leave the club in September in administration to go, a measure that can be taken in England if the payment obligations can no longer be met. As a result, Derby County was deducted twelve points. An additional nine minus points were added due to financial disorder. With seven points and 14 points behind in the safe places, relegation looks inevitable for Derby County this season. But players like Ebosele can the Rams help you get back on track. If it is not on the field, then it is by bringing in a transfer fee.