STEW ROLLS BACK YEAR
SADLY for Steve McClaren, QPR’s decision to axe him yesterday was no April Fool’s Day wind-up.
In fact it was an all-toofamiliar story for the former England boss.
His Loftus Road dismissal is the latest evidence McClaren is destined to be a man better-suited to being a No.2 than No.1.
He was sacked after a desperate run of form that has seen Rangers slide down the table.
Former Tottenham and Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood (right) is the early favourite to replace him.
That would set up a reunion for Sherwood with his former Spurs colleagues, Kick-off 7.45pm
vSTEWART DOWNING has waived a potential £1.8million windfall to chase a play-off place with Middlesbrough.
The former England winger was entitled to a one-year contract extension if he started one more game this season. But with cutbacks and wage
QPR director of football Les Ferdinand and technical director Chris Ramsey.
McClaren’s exit was the ninth time in just 13 years that he has been sacked or resigned.
Former QPR boss Holloway had little sympathy, having been replaced by McClaren last summer. He said: “He took my job. I still had another year left at the club. I’m still being paid by them now.
“He was talking to the chairman while I was in the job saying what he’d do. He hasn’t been able to do that.
“What goes around comes around.
“He had my Ian babies, he took my kids. He is a fantastic coach. His record speaks for that.
“But sometimes the jobs you think you have got don’t last. I found that out last summer.” McClaren started his QPR reign with four straight defeats that saw him on the brink before August was over. But the 57-year-old inspired an upturn that saw Rangers climb to eighth and just two points outside the play-off spots by Boxing Day. Since then, though, and handicapped by a Financial Fair Play-enforced January transfer embargo, they have won just one of their last 15 reductions on the agenda if promotion is missed, Boro were reluctant to commit to another year for the 34-year-old.
Downing (right) struck an agreement over the weekend that means the clause has been killed and he is free to play in the promotion run-in.
Boro have slipped out of the top six for the first time since August after losing to Norwich. league games to slide down to 17th. Rangers have an eight-point cushion to the bottom three but Saturday’s home defeat to second-bottom Bolton was the final straw for the board.
McClaren’s dismissal surprised a number of his players, as according to some sources, he had not lost the entire dressing room.
Assistant John Eustace will take caretaker charge while QPR search for a successor and McClaren ponders what is next.
Returning to football in a back-room role appears to be the most logical suggestion.
As a No.2, McClaren impressed with his coaching ability, something that remained the case at QPR. He helped Jim Smith lead Derby County to promotion and consolidate in the Premier League.
At Manchester United he was a key figure in their historic 1999 Treble success under Sir Alex Ferguson and the 2000 and 2001 titles.
But through his near 20 years as the main man some have questioned his manmanagement skills and success has been sporadic.
Highlights are a UEFA Cup final and League Cup triumph at Middlesbrough and Dutch title at FC Twente.
The rest of his managerial spells, notably his England reign which ended with the infamous ‘Wally with the brolly’ furore, have ended prematurely, chipping away at his managerial reputation.