Steve McClaren | Yessh our new assistant coach

[Relevated]

Why on Earth would someone want a man that managed Middlesbrough to a European final and FC Twente to their only league championship in their history (whilst working together with him) and who as an assistant manager won the only treble in English history? Nope can’t fathom it either.

Because some people will convince you that football has moved on so much that we now play with a block instead of a ball.

United fans fall for silly myths, it's like a coping mechanism. The other myth is that it takes a whole season to implement a playing style.

 

[Ali Dia]

I know he became a caricature at some point, but he's certainly qualified to be a bloody assistant. More than qualified. He's been successful in that capacity here before, he's managed successfully in his own right. Albeit quite mixed. But again... assistant manager.

I don't think we necessarily need a hip young assistant. ETH is an ideas man, it seems. He'll be rounding out his team and Shteve certainly brings some experience.

He is but if our current players can shit on him rest assured they will

 

[Red00012]

Some basic skills, like defending set pieces or the offside trap, are timeless.

You forgot the art of passing

 

[Someone]

Think it's a good move. People seem to think that anyone old is past it by default, but experience from someone like McClaren, who's just 60 by the way, could be really helpful to ETH, specially when we know that he'll have other assistants. I'd rather have that than go for someone young with no experience whatsoever other than being associated with united.

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

It’s Ten Hag’s choice, why the uproar?

 

[DickDastardly]

Why on Earth would someone want a man that managed Middlesbrough to a European final and FC Twente to their only league championship in their history (whilst working together with him) and who as an assistant manager won the only treble in English history? Nope can’t fathom it either.

Fine.

You can look at it that way.

I only remember him as the manager of England and the remarkable game at Wembley 2-3 vs Croatia.
One of my favourite games i saw live.

He didn't qualify btw.

And from that moment on, he'll be remembered as "the Wally with the brolly".

Can he turn it around with Erik or will they make a duet meme from now on?

 

[Abraxas]

He is but if our current players can shit on him rest assured they will

They probably would, but the dynamic is going to change after this summer. A large turnover of players virtually ensures that.

 

[Cheimoon]

Fine.

You can look at it that way.

I only remember him as the manager of England and the remarkable game at Wembley 2-3 vs Croatia.
One of my favourite games i saw live.

He didn't qualify btw.

And from that moment on, he'll be remembered as "the Wally with the brolly".

Can he turn it around with Erik or will they make a duet meme from now on?

That was funny in a sad kind of way; but why would it be the only thing you remember when considering whether McClaren is suitable for this job?

 

[VanHaal'sRedArmy]

Well, at least we have our translator sorted.

 

[DickDastardly]

That was funny in a sad kind of way; but why would it be the only thing you remember when considering whether McClaren is suitable for this job?

You're right. It shouldn't be. But it's somehow the main thing i remember when someone says his name.

Never really known how much of an influence he had with Sir Alex and how much of his work is really embeded in our success.

If anyone has any good reads about that, do share.

 

[TheReligion]

Great addition to the conversation.

And the funny thing is it’s more accurate than any of your observations

 

[Cheimoon]

You're right. It shouldn't be. But it's somehow the main thing i remember when someone says his name.

Never really known how much of an influence he had with Sir Alex and how much of his work is really embeded in our success.

If anyone has any good reads about that, do share.

Yeah, I don't know either; but at least Ferguson was generally known to leave a lot of space for his assistants.

For me, though, the main argument here is that Ten Hag actually worked with McClaren at Twente, in reversed roles. So they know each other, both personally and in terms of their approach to, thinking about, and knowledge of football. If that makes Ten Hag think that it would be great to have McClaren by his side at United, then I'd trust him with that decision.

 

[Abraxas]

I thought the way he got constantly mocked in the press and by the public was kind of sad actually. He seemed a good man. Made a horlicks of it with England, but he's not alone there.

In the management game there are a lot more failures than outright successes, yet he has quite a few things to his CV that he could stand behind and say he deserves a job like this. More than some random foreign coach who nobody really knows but has worked with X manager so must be good.

Shteeve isn't a sexy name that's for sure but if applications were invited for assistant manager I think you'd go a long way to get a more accomplished one on paper. We currently have a yank that was a disaster in the MLS. It's not this super star role, it's a staff role ultimately.

 

[Longshanks]

A guy who was revelant 20 years ago .. we never learn .

Interestingly the assistant manager before Mclaren came along in 1998 was Brian kidd. Guess where he was still working as assistant manger only last season?

 

[DickDastardly]

Yeah, I don't know either; but at least Ferguson was generally known to leave a lot of space for his assistants.

For me, though, the main argument here is that Ten Hag actually worked with McClaren at Twente, in reversed roles. So they know each other, both personally and in terms of their approach to, thinking about, and knowledge of football. If that makes Ten Hag think that it would be great to have McClaren by his side at United, then I'd trust him with that decision.

That's something i learned today.

After the initial post.

But yeah, if that's his decision, by all means.
Let's hope it pours in May 2023 and he holds the brolly over the PL trophy.

 

[Cheimoon]

That's something i learned today.

After the initial post.

But yeah, if that's his decision, by all means.
Let's hope it pours in May 2023 and he holds the brolly over the PL trophy.

'The wally with the brolly and the trophy'.

It's a bit long but it does have a ring to it.

 

[Random Task]

Yeah, I don't know either; but at least Ferguson was generally known to leave a lot of space for his assistants.

For me, though, the main argument here is that Ten Hag actually worked with McClaren at Twente, in reversed roles. So they know each other, both personally and in terms of their approach to, thinking about, and knowledge of football. If that makes Ten Hag think that it would be great to have McClaren by his side at United, then I'd trust him with that decision.

They've worked together before? The plot thickens.

Assuming there were no problems between them at Twente, it makes sense that ETH would want to work with him again, especially with Mclaren's PL experience and history with United.

 

[Red00012]

Interestingly the assistant manager before Mclaren came along in 1998 was Brian kidd. Guess where he was still working as assistant manger only last season?

Brian Kidd has been assistant / coach at City for over 12 years and worked his way up from youth to assistant , McClaren has done feck all in the last few years what’s your point?

 

[The Mitcher]

“The players are said to be having problems understanding what Gaag and McClaren want from them, they have doubts over their credentials to coach at this level having only ever collaborated in the much weaker Dutch league previously”

That’s what you’ll get if you ask these lads to run or put their bodies on the line

How can they possibly know what the players have issues with when Ten Hag hasn't met them as far as we know? Can you and others on the caf stop taking every news story at face value and take them with a pinch of salt instead? So many times you guys have been mislead by out of context quotes, made up stories. Just now people got confused by stupid journalism over the announcement of Steve McClaren.

 

[Longshanks]

Brian Kidd has been assistant / coach at City for over 12 years and worked his way up from youth to assistant , McClaren has done feck all in the last few years what’s your point?

His last managerial post was in 2019, so he has hardly done feck all recently. My point is just because he isn't a new hip name dosent mean he dosent warrant the assistant manager role. ETH clearly wants someone he knows and trusts aswell as someone who understands the club and English football, mclaren ticks all those boxes for him quite clearly.

 

[R'hllor]

Why turning so defensive just because people questioning this decision and appointment, i mean so what if he was picked by ETH, seriously some people.

 

[Roario]

Appoint him today and have him watch the current meltdown behind the scenes.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Why turning so defensive just because people questioning this decision and appointment, i mean so what if he was picked by ETH, seriously some people.

Why not be defensive? What has he done to make people annoyed or dislike his appointment?

He’s over qualified for the job of being an assistant if anything and he’s worked brilliantly with Ten Hag before. Being “against” this is just bizarre and it now appears that many who are, had no idea that Ten Hag worked with Schteve at Twente.

 

[Gavinb33]

Brian Kidd has been assistant / coach at City for over 12 years and worked his way up from youth to assistant , McClaren has done feck all in the last few years what’s your point?

People quoting Mclaren's management career when Kidd's was a disaster, at least Mclaren has won things and when you consider his 5 years at Middlesbrough and where they went to and where they are now you would have to say he was miles better than Kidd ever was as a manager and in his 3 years with us well everyone knows that story too.

 

[Lost bear]

Wally with the Brolly!

Oh no- da fella w’ umbrella!

 

[Red00012]

People quoting Mclaren's management career when Kidd's was a disaster, at least Mclaren has won things and when you consider his 5 years at Middlesbrough and where they went to and where they are now you would have to say he was miles better than Kidd ever was as a manager and in his 3 years with us well everyone knows that story too.

Small problem with your post is that McClaren isn’t our manager.

 

[dinostar77]

I'd be delighted if Mclaren came back, by all accounts not the greatest of managers but supposed to be a fantastic and innovative coach. If he gets back to that then the first team can expect some really interesting training sessions.

Also his PL experience will be a massive help to ETH. Lets face it ETH will be under enormous pressure from the outset. Before Klopp turned Liverpool around, it was one of the most difficult jobs in world football due to the expectations for the club. That batton has well and truly been handed to Utd now.

 

[redshaw]

Very sound appointment and glad to see him back, he knows the club very well and is a strong figure to help us back.

 

[charlenefan]

Eric gets what Eric wants, or at least that's what it should be

 

[Tom Van Persie]

It’s Ten Hag’s choice, why the uproar?

Because those reports don't fit their agenda.

 

[SER19]

Hang on. Ten Hag hand picks McLaren, and rumours are the board say no, but Ten Hag digs in, gets the man he wants as his assistant, and people are still melting down? I'd understand if the board installed McLaren against ten hag's will, but if your trust in the new manager is so shallow that you don't think he can pick his own assistant, then you might as well start calling for him to be sacked.

 

[cfkane]

Many soldiers are great tacticians, but not great strategists. Many coaches are great staff/assistants, but not worldclass head coaches. SM seems to be a great assistant, so I can see why ETH would want him. A great conduit between the club and the new boss.

 

[TrebleChamp99]

Give your head a wobble if you don’t want the assistant our new manager has just requested.

he’s also bringing in Van De Gaag so don’t worry on that front.

 

[Skills]

This fascination with assistants is a bit strange in recent years. Half the caf wanted McKenna & Carrick's head earlier this season because apparently they weren't doing enough for Ole.

It's bullshit - assistants are there to assist the head coach. They're also in many ways the students of the head coach they're working for, and are helping him relay the message to the playing squad. They're not there to devise tactics or training regimes - they're there to do as the head coach asks them in the way the head coach wants it done.

The problem we had with Ole, he wasn't even interested in coaching himself. So the likes of Carrick and McKenna were left to train the players, while Ole watched, did the press conferences and then did the match day stuff.

 

[Withnail]

Hang on. Ten Hag hand picks McLaren, and rumours are the board say no, but Ten Hag digs in, gets the man he wants as his assistant, and people are still melting down? I'd understand if the board installed McLaren against ten hag's will, but if your trust in the new manager is so shallow that you don't think he can pick his own assistant, then you might as well start calling for him to be sacked.

With so much negative feeling that's built up around the club it's like a reflex at this point I feel. If the club do anything at all there'll be a bunch outraged. The season can't end quick enough.

 

[DarkDog]

Eric gets what Eric wants, or at least that's what it should be

Eric Cantona? Eric Bailly? Eric Djemba-Djemba? Eric Cartman? Please be more specific

 

[Compton22]

This fascination with assistants is a bit strange in recent years. Half the caf wanted McKenna & Carrick's head earlier this season because apparently they weren't doing enough for Ole.

It's bullshit - assistants are there to assist the head coach. They're also in many ways the students of the head coach they're working for, and are helping him relay the message to the playing squad. They're not there to devise tactics or training regimes - they're there to do as the head coach asks them in the way the head coach wants it done.

The problem we had with Ole, he wasn't even interested in coaching himself. So the likes of Carrick and McKenna were left to train the players, while Ole watched, did the press conferences and then did the match day stuff.

100% this, usually in any walk of life, the blame and responsibility for poor results will always fall on the manager. But here on the caf and among Utd fans in general, we tend to have anyone as a scapegoat. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the tea lady is called out for drugging the players or something

 

[Skills]

With so much negative feeling that's built up around the club it's like a reflex at this point I feel. If the club do anything at all there'll be a bunch outraged. The season can't end quick enough.

The caf doesn't want Steve McLaren - because he's not exotic enough and was previously associated with the club.

However we're in the manager shits gold stage of Ten Hag's tenure. He can't do anything wrong.

So even though its Ten Hag who wants Steve, it's caused a massive malfunction in the system and the automatic error message is blaming the glazers/board.

 

[Withnail]

The caf doesn't want Steve McLaren - because he's not exotic enough and was previously associated with the club.

However we're in the manager shits gold stage of Ten Hag's tenure. He can't do anything wrong.

So even though its Ten Hag who wants Steve, it's caused a massive malfunction in the system and the automatic error message is blaming the glazers/board.

Well put

 

[Compton22]

Regardless of what anyone thinks of the appointment, what I like about him already is that he's that confident in his decision making already that he can convince our board to go with him on a decision he makes.

The "it's my way or the highway" approach in full effect.