Steve McClaren returned to Derby County after Nigel Pearson’s departure, getting his first job back in football after leaving Newcastle United in March.
They say you should never go back, but that’s exactly what Steve McClaren has done – returning to the iPro Stadium for another spell as manager of Derby County, having been sacked by the club in 2015. McClaren has, in fact, got previous in terms of ‘going back’ – he returned to Dutch side Twente in January 2012. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the success it was first time, when McClaren led the club to the Dutch title. Second time round, McClaren resigned just after a year in.
The former England manager was relieved of his duties when he failed to get Derby into the playoffs, having been in a commanding position earlier in the season. McClaren was subsequently appointed as Head Coach of then Premier League club Newcastle United, tasked with the job of taking the Magpies to the next level having just avoided relegation to the Championship on the final day of the season before.
Derby County Manager Steve McClaren applauds their fans after the match
Things didn’t go to plan, however, and McClaren was sacked in March 2016 with Newcastle locked in a relegation battle. He was replaced by Rafael Benitez, but the damage had already been done and Newcastle slipped into the Championship.
McClaren then found himself back in the beautiful game, replacing Nigel Pearson as manager of Derby County.
Derby manager Steve McClaren
McClaren was never Newcastle fans’ first choice as manager, and now the supporters have had their say on his appointment at Derby. HITC Sport’s Michael Ramsay reports.
New Derby County manager Steve McClaren poses
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