TRAVIS A NATURAL LEADER FOR RAMS SAYS EUSTACE

JOHN Eustace has praised Ebou Adams for his response to seeing the Derby County captaincy handed to Lewis Travis.

- By BRIAN DICK

When he first came to the Pride Park Stadium, Eustace named the 29-year-old Adams skipper, with his qualities key to last season’s successful relegation battle.

Indeed, Adams started the new campaign as skipper, only for new signing Travis to lead the team out against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The Rams won for the first time this term, courtesy of Andi Wei-mann’s late winner, and Travis put in some crunching tackles in a solid outing.

Eustace has explained his thinking behind the change - and confirmed it as a permanent one.

"I think Ebs has been a fantastic leader for us, especially last season in some really difficult moments, he stepped up to the plate," Eustace said.

"He’s somebody I’ve got a huge respect for.

"I think it's important for this season that Ebs concentrates on his own game and brings that quality on and off the field. He’s going to be the vice-captain.

"We brought Lewis in, who's a natural leader who wants to help the group and wants to help develop players and staff and lead on that pitch.

"He likes that responsibility and that’s why we brought him into the club for over the next two or three seasons - to help develop the club properly and develop the players, the philosophy and the characters that we want in that dressing room.

"I think it just leaves Ebs to concentrate on what he’s good at, which is playing football, and leave the rest to Lew."

Eustace went on to reveal Adams’ reaction to the news: "He was great, absolutely fine, he understood my decision," he said.