Derby shock as McClaren is boss again
STEVE McClaren has made a remarkable return to derby County after the club confirmed he would replace nigel Pearson as manager.
it marks a sensational u-turn by derby after the club sacked him as manager just 17 months ago when the club missed out on promotion for a second year in a row under McClaren’s guidance.
it is McClaren’s fourth spell at derby after playing for the club in the 1980s before becoming assistant manager to Jim smith in the mid-1990s for four years and then managing the club between 2013 and 2015.
McClaren was sacked as derby manager in May 2015 after a dreadful end to the season saw derby win just two matches in two months as they slumped to eighth position in the Championship table.
Caretaker coach Chris Powell had been favourite to be handed the job before McClaren emerged as a candidate. Former Huddersfield manager Powell will remain as assistant coach while first-team coach Kevin Phillips and goalkeeping trainer Pascal Zuberbuhler will also stay at the club. For McClaren, it represents an unexpectedly rapid return to management after he suffered a catastrophic spell in charge of newcastle last season.
The former england manager was sacked by newcastle in March after six wins from 28 Premier league games saw the club marooned in the relegation zone.
He was replaced by rafa Benitez, who was unable to prevent newcastle’s slide into the Championship.
last night, newcastle legend alan shearer tweeted his astonishment at McClaren’s sudden return. ‘Club 1 (derby) sacked for not getting promoted. Club 2 (newcastle) sacked as getting relegated. Club 1 ( derby) rehire sacked manager. really?! only in football,’ he wrote.
Former leicester manager Pearson left derby earlier this month following the conclusion of an internal club investigation. He had been suspended after an allegedly explosive training ground showdown with chairman Mel Morris (left). Pearson’s reign had begun dreadfully and the team were in the relegation zone. derby have since beaten Cardiff and drawn with reading to rise to 20th. McClaren’s appointment is derby’s fifth managerial change in 18 months, with former real Madrid assistant boss Paul Clement seen off midway through last season, before darren Wassell stepped in to tide things over. Wassell has since returned to a senior role with the derby academy.
McClaren said last night: ‘i am excited to be back at derby County. i have a great affiliation with this club, having been here on three previous occasions, and i am really delighted at the prospect of finishing what we started back in september 2013.
‘i regret how my time at derby ended back in 2015 and i am very motivated to get things right for the club and our supporters.’
Prior to yesterday’s appointment, Morris spoke of the unity derby had enjoyed under McClaren during his previous spell.
Morris said: ‘eddie Howe, to me, has done phenomenally well... the environment he had down at Bournemouth, the unity he had with the chairman, the unity throughout the club in knowing what they were trying to achieve, was pivotal to their success.
‘We had that with steve McClaren. We actually had it.
‘it went off the rails for certain reasons, but fundamentally we had it and that’s what gave us success for the 2013-14 season.
‘The unity is key. i have a phrase. if i promise to do something for you, i will do it, even if hurts i will still do it. But if you promise to do something for me, you better do it.
‘ so for me, the managerial appointment is all about clarity more than anything. They need to be clear on what the plan is and what’s expected from them.’