Phillip Cocu was full of praise for his Derby side after they ended a dramatic week with three points against Birmingham.

The Rams have been hampered with off-field issues this week as Mason Bennett and Tom Lawrence were both involved in a crash due to drink-driving on Tuesday night.

Richard Keogh suffered a season ending injury in the crash, meaning Derby will be without their captain for the campaign.

It was a great way to end a really bad week for the club as a whole and Cocu praised his side for their excellent spirit and performance that they showed in front of their own crowd.

Speaking to the Derby Telegraph, Cocu said: "It was a big win. But also what a game - unbelievable what can happen in one game.

"I am proud of what the team did today.

"It is vital to show what they (the players) showed today. What do we stand for? At the moment, it is very important for us as a club.

"After the week we had, it is extremely more difficult to play a game than usual, and that that is why I think they did an excellent job."

The Verdict

What a week it has been for Derby. You just can't imagine some of the stuff that has been going on behind-the-scenes and I think Cocu must need a well earned rest after the game on Saturday.

They showed that they have the spirit and the courage to be able to get through different circumstances and come out the other side as a team.

It'll be interesting to see what the next steps are for the club, especially with the next steps for a player such as Tom Lawrence who was so important to the side. If he is to be sacked it will be interesting to see how that might affect them.