Derby County have been one of the Championship’s biggest spenders in McClaren’s absence.
Sacked Derby boss Pearson
Steve McClaren claims the Derby County squad left for him by Nigel Clough required less work than the one he inherited from Nigel Pearson this week, the Daily Mail reports.
McClaren was initially appointed Rams boss in 2013 following the sacking of Clough, whose side were 14th in the Championship.
The former Nottingham Forest striker – son of legendary Derby and Forest boss Brian – left behind a squad he’d steadily improved over the previous few campaigns, in which purse-strings had been tightened following Derby’s relegation from the Premier League in 2008.
Clough (right) takes on his old side as Burton Albion boss
However, with a bit of fine tuning from McClaren, who added Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford and West Brom midfielder George Thorne (now a permanent Derby player) on loan in the new year, the Rams reached the play-off final that season – and were unfortunate not to go up.
The 55-year-old was sacked 12 months later however, having failed to build on his promising first season in charge. But having made a shock return to the iPro Stadium this week, he admitted it will be harder to replicate his previous spell – despite the Rams’ heavy expenditure (to the reported tune of around £35 million) meanwhile.
McClaren during his first spell
“This is a tougher job than before I think,” McClaren is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. “Back then the team had been built, it just needed organisation and it took off. Now it is about cohesion, gelling, and that takes time.”
McClaren during Friday’s press conference
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