The former Newcastle boss returned to Derby County on Wednesday.
Chris Sutton has described Steve McClaren’s Derby County return as “odd.”
The former Newcastle manager was named as Nigel Pearson’s replacement at the iPro Stadium on Wednesday following the latter’s departure last week.
His re-appointment comes 17 months after he was sacked by Derby, amid speculation linking him to the Newcastle job in 2015.
The 55-year-old lasted less than a year at St James’s Park and has not worked in football since his axing by the Magpies in March.
Asked for his views on the move, Sutton responded on Twitter.
Sutton has hit the nail on the head – it is a very odd move by Derby, but if it leads to the Rams’ challenging for promotion, which they aren’t at the moment, then all will be forgotten.
As it stands, County are 20th in the Championship table after winning just two of their first 11 games this season. With 10 points separating them from the top six, finishing in the playoffs is a big ask, but it is not impossible.
McClaren knows what it takes to manage a top-six finish with Derby, following the heartbreak of their playoff final defeat a few years ago under the former England boss.
Newcastle manager Steve McClaren looks dejected
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