After an indulgent pause for your ignorance to register, he will say: ``See? People only remember the gold medallists and we've won nothing yet.''

Vince Lombardi's maxim ``Winning isn't everything: it's the only thing'' strikes a responsive chord with Jones and coach Les Stillman, a fellow Australian. Such is their ambition for Derbyshire that last summer's achievement, the county's highest finish since their only title success in 1936, is played down as merely ``a stepping stone''.

Fundamental to a rise of a dozen places in the championship last season was the early establishment of an ``excuse- free zone'' at the County Ground.

Players were encouraged to confront their shortcomings and the response of Jones and Stillman to setbacks, such as the failure to beat Somerset from a powerful position in early September, was refreshingly frank.

``I erred on the cautious side with my declaration and didn't leave us quite enough time to get them out a second time,'' Jones confessed. ``We had them eight down but if we'd won that game I reckon we could well have gone on to win the title. No excuses. I read it wrong.''

Nobody benefitted more from this unsparing example of critical self-analysis than Chris Adams, the Old Reptonian previously regarded as a big-hitting under-achiever.

Stillman's assessment of his footwork - ``all over the place'' prompted a modification of technique and, with 1,742 runs, he finished behind only Graham Gooch and Stephen James among the first-class run-makers.

Missing selection for the England A tour reinforced Adams's conviction that a move to another county was vital to promote his international claims.

However, the latest of several requests for release was rejected during the winter and refocusing him for another major contribution will be among The Management's most important tasks.

Of the other batsmen, Adrian Rollins needs greater selfbelief if he is more effectively to supplement the experience of Jones and Kim Barnett, while youngsters Johnny Owen, Gul Khan, Tim Tweats and Michael Mays jostle for chances lower down.

Former Somerset captain Andy Hayhurst, recruited as assistant coach to run the Second XI, may see regular service in the senior side and Australian all-rounder Matt Cassar, who scored a halfcentury and took three wickets against New Zealand on his first-class debut in 1994, has completed residential qualification and will be fully available.

Vince Clarke, released by Leicestershire and, like Hayhurst, joining his third county, is another likely contender for the middle-order places vacated by the departure of Tim O'Gorman and Colin Wells, while his leg-breaks will compete for opportunities with the off-spin of Matt Vandrau and the slow left-arm of youngsters Ian Blackwell and Glen Roberts.

Devon Malcolm, whose testimonial this summer is certain to achieve a record sum for a Derbyshire beneficiary, is described by Stillman as ``a huge asset'' after taking 82 first- class wickets last season - 73 in the championship - and the two Australians have also come to appreciate Phillip DeFreitas as ``a top-notch cricketer with a real desire to win''.