Reuniting McClaren with Derby County’s Chris Martin and Craig Bryson could prompt QPR promotion push

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Steve McClaren may go back to Derby County to strengthen Queens Park Rangers’ squad.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Steve McClaren has agreed to take over the Queens Park Rangers job from current manager Ian Holloway who is due to step down this summer.

The former England manager has a mixed managerial record, winning trophies at Middlesbrough and Twente in Holland while on the flip side struggling badly at Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

In recent years his best spell came in chare of Derby County, where he guided the Rams to the playoff final in 2013/14 before eventually succumbing to a 1-0 defeat to no other than Queens Park Rangers.

Many supporters at Loftus Road will be wary of McClaren taking over yet given the right tools and with a bit of time, there is absolutely no reason why he can’t get them fighting for promotion back to the top-flight.

The 57-year-old likes his teams to play an attractive brand of football with specific player types, and to make his new QPR team tick, he could go back in for Derby’s out-of-favour duo Chris Martin and Craig Bryson.

The Scotland international pair have both been sent out on loan this season as Derby boss Gary Rowett looks to get them off the wage bill, but it certainly isn’t for a lack of ability that they have no future at Pride Park.

Simply put, their current playing style doesn’t suit the way Rowett wants his Derby team to play but at QPR under the guidance of former boss McClaren, they could potentially flourish once more.

Both players enjoyed the best football of their respective careers under McClaren, with Martin scoring 40 Championship goals in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 campaign while Bryson netted 20 from midfield in the same period.

The two players combined brilliantly as Martin played as a lone centre-forward acting as a pivot, and Bryson used his boundless energy to consistently break beyond him and find the net with regularity.

If McClaren brought the duo to QPR and got them playing anywhere near their potential, the Hoops would have a devastating attack capable of pushing the west London club right into the promotion mix.

For now it’s all ifs and buts, yet McClaren would be wise to work with what he knows succeeds at Championship level and the two players while under contract will certainly be available to leave Derby this summer.