Football never ceases to amaze, especially when it comes to managerial appointments and perhaps one of the more bizarre decisions of the season, has seen Steve McClaren return to Derby Country as manager.
The Championship club find themselves in 20th place, with just 10 points to show from their 11 league games this season. Nigel Pearson, who was at the iPro Stadium for less than five months, left the job on Saturday by mutual consent and several names were mentioned as possible candidates for the job. However, one man whose name did not feature readily on the lips of most, was former England manager, McClaren.
Only 17 months has passed since McClaren was sacked by Derby, in less than harmonious circumstances, following consistent speculation linking him with the job at Newcastle United. McClaren did join Newcastle but was sacked in March 2016, following a poor run of results, which eventually saw the club relegated to the Championship, despite the best efforts of Rafa Benitez.
During his previous time in charge at Derby, McClaren failed to get the club promoted to the Premier League in two attempts, the closest being a play-off final defeat in his first season in charge. Having been top of the Championship table in February of the following season, Derby eventually missed out on a play-off spot and that brought an end to his first reign at the club. In addition, rumours were rife of a breakdown in the relationship between chairman Mel Morris and McClaren, over reports the manager was interested in taking over at Newcastle, which he eventually did.
So why have Derby turned back to McClaren? He was sacked from the club for failing to get them promoted in two attempts and lost his job at Newcastle, having struggled in the Premier League, a struggle which led to relegation for the Magpies. Perhaps the length of the contract sheds some light on what is happening.
McClaren has signed a deal which takes him to the end of the next Championship season, there is no long-term deal in place. Morris may feel, with the season well under way, it would pay dividends to get someone in who knows the club well and can move them away from the relegation zone and into safety, with a view to pushing for promotion in 2017/18. With 11 matches already played in the Championship, is it the right time to hire a new manager, who does not know the club or the league, on a long-term deal? Probably not.
Derby have come in for some fierce criticism from former players, such as Alan Shearer and Robbie Savage, regarding the appointment of McClaren but the question remains, who else was available? Chris Powell, Pearson’s number two remains at the club as McClaren’s assistant and his name was mentioned to take over the manager’s hot seat but he has been sacked from his previous managerial jobs at Charlton and Huddersfield.
Perhaps it’s the nature of his departure from Derby in 2015, rather than his ability to do the job, which is why so many people are shocked by McClaren’s return. A good win on the weekend and playing some entertaining, winning football, will soon see people forget and start looking to the future, rather than the past.