Derby County entered the first international break of the season in fine fashion with their clash against Bristol City.
The Rams bagged three goals in front of a bouncing Pride Park crowd, earning a huge three points for their Championship survival campaign.
While Jacob Zetterstrom was forced into some early saves, it was Kenzo Goudmijn’s opener that separated the two teams at the break.
Derby came out firing in the second half as Kayden Jackson and David Ozoh added their names to the scoresheet in a thrashing of Bristol City.
While some may not have seen that coming, Paul Warne certainly predicted one thing correctly ahead of the match.
Paul Warne predicted Kenzo Goudmijn goal for Derby
After the match, Derby County manager Warne revealed that he had told Goudmijn that he would score on the night before the match.
Speaking to the Derby County website, he said: “And Kenzo [Goudmijn] did have a good chance [in the first half], I think he should have just put his foot through it.
“And then I texted him last night saying ‘I think you’ve got to score tomorrow’, I fancied it.
“I knew his dad was coming and I thought the longer the game went on, the better Kenzo looked.
“So, I’m really pleased for him, really pleased he scored that goal.”
It shows the immense man-management side of the game that Warne has in abundance, often able to get the most out of players and people.
In an age where results are put first, the manager puts a clear emphasis on placing a culture that helps cultivate those results.
With Goudmijn, after a tough few games, he has finally had his moment to shine and may kick on from that as a result.
Kenzo Goudmijn potential at Derby County
At just 22 years old, Derby may have picked up a gem in landing Goudmijn from AZ Alkmaar over the summer.
The Rams have had very little success when looking abroad in the scouting department over recent years, but in the new midfield and goalkeeper recruits, there is a chance of that work paying off.
Goudmijn has a chance to flourish in games where some clear quality is needed, with the flow of the Bristol City clash helping with that.
While many have questioned if the Dutch midfielder could suit the style at Derby, his performance and Warne’s style of play answered with a resounding “yes” on Saturday.
