Wayne Rooney has blasted Mel Morris for Derby’s demise after accusing the Rams’ chairman of a lack of “sincerity and honesty”.
Rooney is fuming after only learning on the eve of the club’s previous match that Morris was putting the Rams into administration.
Derby are now bottom of the Championship on minus two points after being hit with an 12-point deduction when Morris officially appointed financial firefighters over mounting debts.
After holding talks on Thursday with the new administrators, boss Rooney said: “Communication is key and that wasn’t there previously.
“We are where we are, not due to the players, but that has come from Mel Morris.
“I haven’t spoken to Mel still to this day since August 9.
“I just found it a little bit disrespectful.
“I am not asking for an apology but as manager of the football club getting questions from players and staff everyday and not being able to answer them, I was hurt by that.
“There is way of handling things and being open and honest and that didn’t happen.
“I was disappointed.
“He addressed the players and staff as a group on Tuesday which i was in.
“But a one-on-one conversation, i still haven’t had that.
“I tried to phone him.
“I actually called him once off the doctor’s phone and he answered.
“He could answer calls from the club doctor but not the manager.
“No phone call or message and I have put a lot of effort into getting these players ready to play for the club.
“His talk was basically his interview that he did on the radio.
“In my opinion it wasn’t sincere. It wasn’t heartfelt enough and it wasn’t done with enough honesty.
“He has moved on and we have to move on and put Mel Morris to the back of our minds.
“Thankfully now i won’t have that worry of trying to get in touch with him.”
Rooney, in charge since November, admitted he wouldn't have taken the job if he had known then what he knows now.
But he vowed not to quit after saying he owes it to the players and staff to stick by them and not “leave them in the lurch”.
Rooney even revealed he has put his hand in own pocket to buy equipment for the training ground.
Now he claims he can keep Derby up if they aren’t docked any more points.
But he says if the EFL do dock Derby more points over FFP sanctions to effectively relegated them, then he may just play kids to prepare for League One next season.
“With 12 points we are more than capable of getting out of it, with 21 it is almost impossible and i might start playing young kids,” said Rooney.
A statement from Derby last Friday said: "Absent the COVID-19 pandemic, we undoubtedly would have been able to trade through.
"However, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and the unpredictability it has created represents too much of a strain. As the COVID-19 pandemic and lock down tightened their grip, the Club’s revenues and cash flow took a circa £20 million hit. "
