Paul Warne: Derby County 'not a top-three team', says boss
- Published
Max Bird damaged ankle ligaments in stoppage time of Derby's defeat by Oxford
Derby County boss Paul Warne has made a fresh plea for signings after three Rams players were ruled out for lengthy spells with injury.
Midfielder Max Bird and wing-backs Kane Wilson and Joe Ward are all set to miss "at least" eight weeks.
The trio all missed Saturday's win over Fleetwood, which lifted Derby to 10th.
"I feel for Max more than anyone because he was the fittest person pre-season, our best performer this season," Warne told BBC Radio Derby.
"I asked the lads to play with character and I think they dedicated the win to Birdy because it's a massive blow, all three of them going."
Warne made it clear before the injuries that his squad needed to be strengthened, and said the club were giving him "full support" and were "close on a couple".
"Hopefully we'll have that midfielder in soon, [and] try and get another one," he said.
"We need another right wing-back, which is disappointing, so we're trying to get that and we still need something else up top."
Derby narrowly missed out on the play-offs last season and have had a mixed start to the campaign.
They ended a run of three straight home defeats with a narrow 1-0 win over Fleetwood on Saturday, but Warne feels they need more pace if they are to challenge for automatic promotion.
"The team is giving their all and I'm not criticising it, but if I'm critiquing it, it's not a top-three team, that is my honest truth, I don't think it's a top-three team," he added.
"You can't ask the Conors [Hourihane], the Fozzies [Craig Forsyth] to play 46 games flat out, it's impossible.
"We need help and we need to get bodies in here, with a bit of pace to make us a better team."