DERBY COUNTY MANAGER Phillip Cocu admits that the sacking of former captain Richard Keogh has affected everyone at the club.
Derby announced yesterday they sacked Keogh for “gross misconduct” over his involvement in a crash in a crash that led to the arrest of two of his team-mates.
Keogh sustained knee ligament damage and was ruled out for up to 15 months after Tom Lawrence crashed into a lamppost last month.
Midfielder Lawrence and forward Mason Bennett both later pleaded guilty to drink-driving. Keogh was a passenger in Lawrence’s car and was not arrested.
Derby fined Lawrence and Bennett six weeks’ wages, but neither were dismissed. It is reported that Keogh, who joined Derby in 2012 and made more than 350 appearances for the club, is planning to appeal the decision.
Speaking today to reporters at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s game with Middlesbrough, Cocu addressed the situation.
“I think for everybody it is a difficult, and hard situation, of course”, Cocu told the media. “For the moment I just cannot go into the matter, it is still ongoing, still a process.
“It has been a club decision. It is very complicated.”
Cocu was reluctant to say too much on the situation – stressing it as a club matter – but did admit it has affected players and other people around the club.
“Not only this, but the events of that Tuesday, it had a big impact. It still has an effect on the players, on the group, on the club. That is obvious, yes.
“Everybody trained very well, good focus and energy. Of course you cannot deny a player who was here for many years, he had an effect on players individually and as a group, of course.
“But still we have to prepare and show we are professionals, to focus on the game against Middlesbrough.”
Cocu said he last spoke to Keogh on Tuesday, and didn’t answer a question comparing the treatment of Keogh to that of Tom Lawrence and Mason Bennett.
“Like I said, it is not up to me to give any reasons. The club, at the moment they can, they will clarify why but because it is a club matter it is not up to me to give any response on it. I am sorry.”
Elsewhere, Derby’s decision has been criticised by a couple of Keogh’s fellow Irish internationals. Jeff Hendrick – once a Derby player – tweeted, “Talk about kicking a man (the captain) while he is down, instead of helping him through this physically and mentally tough time.”
Harry Arter also questioned Derby’s decision: “So the one left unconscious in the car and not arrested gets sacked.”
Agree. Talk about kicking a man(the captain) while he is down instead of helping him trough this physically and mentally tough time https://t.co/R9V7CKmT9L
— Jeff Hendrick (@JeffHendrick92) October 30, 2019
