'I'll just keep turning up' says under pressure Warne

Paul Warne has been in charge of Derby since September 2022

Derby County head coach Paul Warne has defiantly said he will keep working as normal despite the mounting pressure on his job.

The Rams suffered their seventh straight Championship defeat on Saturday when beaten 1-0 by second-placed Sheffield United.

It is now their worst losing run for 17 years, equalling what they did in 2007-08 when they went down with the lowest points tally in Premier League history.

If they go on to lose at Norwich next week, Warne's side will have equalled the club's worst ever run in the league - a record set in the season that league football came into existence in 1888.

When asked about the pressure and if he can see himself in charge of that game against the Canaries, Warne told BBC Sport: "Well, that is the fun of soccer. Let's see.

"Until I get told otherwise I'll just turn up back at work. I'm not trying to be overly funny. You just don't know.

"I don't deal with that. All I have to do is turn up, motivate my troops, make them work really hard for the team, try give them confidence and try show them things we can be better at.

"Until I get told otherwise, which could be in three years' time or three minutes' time, you just keep working with your group and I always know the next win is around the corner."

Before their latest defeat, Warne said he had met with the club's board but had not sought reassurances about his position.

After the narrow loss against the Blades, which extended Derby's overall losing run to eight matches when including their FA Cup exit against League One side Leyton Orient, he said he "understands" why his place at the helm is under scrutiny.

"If any team in any league was losing games, football managers talk, we all talk, and think 'oh he is struggling a bit isn't he'," Warne admitted.

"It isn't for me to judge if that is good enough. But I am well aware of the fact that we are losing football matches and things need to change.

"And I'm not saying me, before that is the headline. I'm just saying things need to change in our performances to turn close games into points."

Derby's failure to pick up a point since late December leaves them third from bottom in the table and two points adrift of safety.

And not for the first time in that dire run, sections of the crowd voiced their dissatisfaction with boos after full-time.

"It's pretty sad - I dedicate my life to the club, but I also understand it. ," Warne said when asked about the jeers.

"As long as it's me and not the players, that's fine.

"I was well aware the fans sung abuse at me, but then cheer the team on, which I thank them for. It's sad and there is no point putting it any other way."

Warne points to the mounting injury problems - which have only be made worse by a knock taken by Ryan Nyambe against the Blades - and the overall strength of his side when talking about the lowly place his side finds itself in.

The defeat came just a day after the club sold defensive lynchpin Eiran Cashin to Premier League side Brighton for £9m.

"I actually think we are getting a lot out of this group, but it does need help," Warne said.

"It needs people to come back and does need enhancement in this window. If we are going to be competitive, both those things need to happen really."