Exclusive: "Rare Breed" Ebou Adams Backing Derby's Quality and Class to Shine

Derby County midfield maestro Ebou Adams believes he is a “rare breed” in football, and the ambitious 28-year-old is confident the Rams have enough quality and class to climb the Championship table after a bruising Christmas and New Year period which has seen the club lose five of their last six fixtures.

Not that Adams hasn’t been doing everything in his power to help turn the tide, having scored three goals in that period. 

“The player I am, I’ve been told I’m quite rare in the game,” Adams told SportsBoom.com. “I can be useful to teams and I pretty much suit Derby, I guess."

“I’ve been at many clubs and I seem to have been utilised very well – and been to contribute to a team that do really well."

“I think I suit a Paul Warne side, or another side to be honest. I seem to be utilised very well."

“Paul Warne has a footballing side, so I’m just pleased to be adding my attributes to a team that can utilise them and hopefully do really well.”

The Rams started the season brightly but have struggled for victories, especially over the festive period and have worryingly slipped to 18th in the table.

Four points above the relegation zone and 13 points adrift of a play-off place, the start of 2025 is a crucial period for the East Midlands outfit as they look to get their stuttering season back on track.

“I think we should have nothing to fear,” stressed Adams, who signed for the Rams on a permanent deal last summer after a successful loan spell the previous season.

“I just want to help get Derby to finish as high as possible in the league."

“There’s games we’ve come off the pitch this season where, maybe we should have deserved more or we could have done more, or we could have done better, but it shows that we’re a good team and we’ve completed in near enough every game."

“We can do really well in this league, but the hardest thing in football is winning a game because you’ve got 11 players trying to stop you from scoring."

“There’s definitely been no walk in the park in any of the games we’ve played in, so we have to be on our A game every game."

“If we can start converting some of those draws into wins, then you never know [what might happen].”

PROVEN QUALITY

Adams has made 24 Championship appearances, the most of his career having managed only 11 across two seasons for previous club Cardiff City.

The former Bluebirds man is adamant the Rams have enough quality players to finish the season strongly.

“The team we’ve put together is really good,” said Adams.

"I can speak with anyone in the team, it’s the reason why we’re so good as a team on the pitch."

“As long as we stay like that, then I think will be ok [this season]."

“I’m looking forward to every game this season, at the end of the day there’s no team where you can take your foot off the gas."

“I enjoy playing football, I play with a smile on my face and every game is a new challenge."

“It doesn’t matter whether we’re playing top of the league or someone who is struggling, we’ll take every game as seriously as we can."

“It’s nice to be associated with smiling all the time because the world can be a little unhappy, but as long as it’s contagious I’m happy!”