Now that the club have been mathematically relegated, Derby County midfielder Benny Feilhaber is hoping that manager Paul Jewell will start calling his number.

The UCLA product, who arrived last summer from Hamburg under departed boss Billy Davies, has but one start to show for his eight league appearances.

"I'm not really sure what, if anything, will change in the gaffer's approach to the remaining games due to the official relegation of our team," Feilhaber told American Soccer Daily.

"I've been working hard in training to try and prove that I deserve to be out there, but its been tough. I hope I can get a chance still this year, but if not, I'll keep my head up."

While Feilhaber says he will keep an open mind to interest from other clubs, he speaks very much like a player intent on cementing a place at Pride Park for next season.

"I am really uncertain with my future as of right now," admitted the US midfielder. "I mean, I definitely have my eyes open for other options, but I still need to talk to the gaffer at the end of the season to see what his plans are for next season."

"I'm not really looking too far forward at this point because I feel that I can still improve my situation right now, so I'm doing my best to do that right now. Hopefully, things work out for the remainder of this year and I'll focus more on next season by summer time."

The Rams will begin playing for pride when they visit Tim Howard and Everton on Sunday.