Steve McClaren is back coaching in the English game, but it may only be on a short-term basis.
Yesterday Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp confirmed that McClaren will be joining his backroom staff, initially on a three-month deal as QPR aim to bounce back to the EPL at the first time of asking.
Since leaving as England boss back in 2007, McClaren has had varying degrees of success in Holland, Germany and England. The former Manchester United assistant coach has won a Dutch league titles with FC Twente in 2010 and a League Cup with Middlesbrough back in 2004.
“I am delighted to have been able to bring Steve in,” Redknapp told QPR’s official website.”Everyone in the game knows what a top coach he is and he’ll add something different to the group. It is a very important season for us and I wanted to look at freshening up the whole place, not just the playing side.”
So Redknapp has turned to McClaren for fresh ideas and new impetus around the training ground. His qualifications speak for themselves, having managed in several countries for some huge teams and McClaren had a massive role in Manchester United’s EPL and European dominance throughout the years.
But McClaren did flop, miserably, the last time he was in the Championship. Many have forgotten that this time two years ago the 52-year-old was in charge of Nottingham Forest. But he lasted just 13 games in charge after winning just three times. But McClaren is optimistic he can help QPR return to the EPL.
“Whilst it still remains my ambition to manage again this gives me an ideal opportunity to stay involved and work on the field with one of the top managers in this country and a very ambitious club.”
However an interesting thought surfaced in my mind: what if McClaren takes over at QPR if things don’t go well early on for Redknapp?
(MORE: Redknapp staying on at QPR, can they bounce straight back?)
Success in the Championship is not guaranteed and if QPR flounder early season, expect Chairman Tony Fernandes to wield the axe. Redknapp’s backroom staff are incredibly loyal. With Joe Jordan, Steve Cotterill and Kevin Bond likely to leave with him. if things went South quickly at Loftus Road.
That would only leave McClaren left. So a caretaker role/interim head coaching role may ensue. Obviously Redknapp will want things to go well, and bringing on McClaren as a coach will help QPR’s cause. And McClaren himself has spoke about how he hopes to be involved in the England U-21 setup during sometime in the near future.
But the conspiracy theorist in me is intrigued as to what will happen if QPR struggle to adapt to life back in the Championship. Odds are, McClaren could be back in a head coaching role before he knows it. For now, he’s on the peripheral for a short-term basis.
Watch on with intrigue, folks.
