Derby County confirmed the sacking of boss Steve McClaren after just five months in charge.

In the first couple of months of his reign he'd guided the Rams well clear of the bottom three and back into a play-off race.

Derby beat the likes of Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich and rivals Nottingham Forest as they rose up the table.

In the new year, Derby's form dipped, they fell out of the top six after a poor run and out of the play-off race altogether shortly after.

And a 3-0 loss at Brighton marked the end of Steve McClaren's second spell in charge.

As a Derby supporter, I don't think the blame for the bad form lies with Steve McClaren, it lies with the players.

It's clear that there has been an element of over confidence and maybe even disrespect for opponents in the Derby squad, as against teams like Bristol City, Cardiff and Wigan it felt as if the players thought they'd easily win without trying too hard, which obviously isn't the case.

The Championship is a relentless league with congested fixtures and tough opposition every week, so to succeed you have to be prepared to work hard, and I don't think enough of the players are prepared to do so.

McClaren could only work with what he had, the players in front of him weren't his players.

Our squad is littered with overpaid, overrated players that at the end of the day are bang average and inconsistent.

The players need to take responsibility as McClaren, Pearson and Clement have all been sacked after a run of poor results in which our big money squad has massively underperformed.

I think Steve McClaren needed time to rebuild and he deserved time to rebuild.

When he came in it looked as if we were seriously going to be in a relegation battle, he changed that and we were soon flying.

Yes we hit bad form but if every manager who's team went through a bad spell was sacked then every manager would be sacked every season.

McClaren deserved a chance to rebuild, he'd already had this season to assess the squad and unlike our past managers he'd brought in players without spending silly money in his previous transfer windows.

With McClaren gone, attentions have turned to his replacement. It looks as if former Birmingham boss Gary Rowett will be the man to take the reigns, and he's definitely going to have a job on his hands.

I think of all the available managers Rowett is the best choice. He's a former Derby coach and lives locally but I do have some concerns.

Rowett's style of play isn't the most attractive but if it wins us games I'm really not bothered. We're in a bit of a sticky situation, since a rebuild is needed but spending another £25m in one transfer window isn't the answer.

Signings need to be well scouted and worth their price, Rowett should also give youth players a chance to help re-shape the squad.

Gary Rowett has a tough job to turn this around, and if he's appointed before the end of the week he'll be thrown straight in at the deep end with an away trip to Nottingham Forest being Derby's next game.

Derby fans... Was sacking Steve McClaren the right decision? What are your thoughts on Rowett? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!