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EPL newcomers Derby target North America


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EPL newcomers Derby target North America

July 3, 2007

By Andy Tilley Special to PA SportsTicker

DERBY, London (Ticker) - English Premier League newcomer Derby County believes Canada and the United States to be the last untapped player markets in the world and wants coach Colin Miller to help exploit them.

Miller, 42, has joined the Rams as assistant first-team coach after a playing career which saw him collect 61 caps for Canada, captaining the team more than 30 times.

Latterly, Miller was assistant Canada coach to Frank Yallop - now in charge at the Los Angeles Galaxy, David Beckham's Major League Soccer side - and had also been interim head coach for three games.

Derby manager Billy Davies, who is preparing for life in the Premier League after earning the Rams promotion from the Championship at the end of the 2006-07 season, had become acquainted with Miller when the pair were teammates at Dunfermline in the 1990s.

"I have not simply brought someone over from Canada on a whim, what I am interested in is building a structure at Derby which will last for the long term," Davies said.

"I have thought long and hard about who I should appoint to my coaching staff and Colin is someone with enormous enthusiasm and experience. His day-to-day role will primarily be an assessment of our opposition - their strengths and weaknesses."

Davies is confident in both markets.

"On top of that, I see the United States and Canada as a marketplace for players which is so far under-developed and with his knowledge of the game over there and his contacts, Colin can help me exploit that," he said.

Meanwhile, Miller is predicting the Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact could soon make the move from the United Soccer League to Major League Soccer, encouraged by the success of the newly-formed Toronto FC.

Miller, whose playing career began with Toronto Blizzard in the now defunct North American Soccer League, said, "Frank Yallop is doing very well with LA Galaxy and I have just moved to England from Vancouver where LA Galaxy are going to play the Whitecaps in October.

"Vancouver have already sold more than 30,000 tickets on the back of David Beckham being there."

Miller backed Beckham to pay dividends during the course of his five-year contract with the Galaxy, worth up to $250 million.

"David Beckham is going to set the football scene and imaginations alight in the USA and Canada," he said. "And Major League Soccer is carrying over into Canada now with Mo Johnston in charge at Toronto.

"The talk on the street in Canada is that Montreal will also follow suit as well as Vancouver when their new stadium is built."

Miller, who can also count Rangers, Doncaster, St Johnstone, Hamilton, Hearts and Ayr among his former clubs, also said, "For me, it is something of an honor to be the first Canadian to be working at this level in the Premier League.

"We all know there have been Canadians who have played in the Premier League but there has never been a Canadian coach. It is very exciting for me to be part of a club which feels like it is going places."

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I think he did with Hamilton Academical as Player-Coach?

It would be good if they uncovered some unknown Canadian talent, but, I am not holding my breath. Players still have to get through the work permit process which isn't easy for any player outside of the EU.

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quote:Originally posted by Sigma

Didn't Miller coach in Scotland for a year or so? Or am I thinking of someone else?

Oh yeah... perfect song for Deeerrrby.

Macc Lads - No Sheep til Buxton

Miller is with Derby now, so I'm torn. Normally I would want them to get relegated, but now I don't know what to think. [V]

Sweaty Betty !!!

Drop me a line Sigma, thanks.......

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Congrats to Miller. Nice accomplishment. In terms of "undiscovered" talent, I don't think we're talking about anybody playing in Canada currently. I suspect what we're referring to the likes Hutchinson, DeRosario, Jazic, perhaps even Gerba or Nakajima-Farran. Guys who are established internationals, but unknown in England. Good strategy by Derby, IMO. There are loads of North Americans, especially if you include Mexico, who could play in the EPL.

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quote:Originally posted by youllneverwalkalone

Congrats to Miller. Nice accomplishment. In terms of "undiscovered" talent, I don't think we're talking about anybody playing in Canada currently. I suspect what we're referring to the likes Hutchinson, DeRosario, Jazic, perhaps even Gerba or Nakajima-Farran. Guys who are established internationals, but unknown in England. Good strategy by Derby, IMO. There are loads of North Americans, especially if you include Mexico, who could play in the EPL.

I agree with you. My only hope would be that Hutch wouldn't take it as Derby staying up would be a long shot and I think his development would be better served with Copenhagen. But the other four guys could maybe afford the risk, along with some of our guys playing in Bund 2 (assuming they're EPL quality).

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