TBH I read the article. It would be easy for him to walk away, nobody could blame him and the future narrative on job interviews could be he did a good job keeping them up. I have to say he has gone up a bit (just a bit) in my estimation for sticking with it. I don't think the money is an issue for him either.
If players have got other offers on the table, surely they would sign for a club where they are likely to get paid, rather than Derby!