McClaren’s off to a winning start

STEVE McCLAREN admitted he has a lot of work ahead of him despite marking his second spell as Derby manager with victory over Leeds.

McClaren saw Johnny Russell come off the bench to earn Derby’s first home league win of the season and first for six months.

But Leeds struck the woodwork twice, through skipper Kyle Bartley and substitute Marco Silvestri, and could have ruined McClaren’s return to the club that sacked him 17 months ago.

The former England boss said: ‘I think you could see the nervousness of the players, but amongst that nervousness the players showed fight, the attitude was great and we got some great blocks in at the end.

‘We worked our socks off but we needed a second goal, and we have to learn that. The last 10 minutes was always going to be nervous, but we rode our luck and got through it, and it was a big three points.

‘We said we need to put a marker down at five o’clock and we have done. I saw certain aspects I like and potential in the team, but there is a lot of work — a lot of work — and a long way to go, but if the players have that attitude and fight, I have no complaints.

‘That’s what we said at the beginning, not just at half-time — what do the supporters want to see? They want to see your fight, attitude, tackles, and I think the players did that.’

Opposite number Garry Monk admitted: ‘We didn’t do enough of the things we have done really well in recent games with the ball to give ourselves a chance of getting something.’