Steve McClaren | Yessh our new assistant coach

Is it any different than Phelan?

One of the old guard from successful times being given a job because......?
Because someone with no personal familiarity with the club (ten Hag) wants someone who knows the club far better than him, and has an existing relationship on both sides.

Not the same as Phelan at all, as he was essentially a case of jobs for the boys.
 
Why will SAF find this threatening?

fergie used to knock mcclaren around after a demoralising loss to demonstrate his alpha status in front of the dressing room. fergie developed quite a lot of warmth towards steve as he never complained or called in sick after a loss and he kind of looks out for steve nowadays.
 
It’s not really “jobs for the boys” if the club pushed back on it. Jobs for the boys was when they club forced Giggs on Van Gaal.
 
Is it any different than Phelan?

One of the old guard from successful times being given a job because......?

My take is that MvdG would be higher in the chain of command, while McLaren is more about helping ETH with English football culture. McLaren and ETH previous relationship as manager and assistant built already mutual trust, which help reducing the workload than spending time getting to know Mike Phelan while having mountain of work with this mess of a team.

And Mike Phelan being with SAF for too long, it's reasonably to assume Mike Phelan would easily come out with cliche advices like we have heard from our former players who only know SAF as manager. Ole was supposed to be the boss, yet with the learning on the job set up, Mike Phelan was acting like a teacher, which at top level looks very weird. Almost dual head coach set up like Liverpool did.
 
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My god, I actually agree with things this club is doing for the first time in ages!!

1. Scouts leave club :)
2. Ten Hag :):angel::drool:
3. Steve Mc as assistant - Has worked with the manger before, has worked with the club before, speaks both English and Dutch & was a decent manager himself :)

A very positive few days off the pitch.

A story about some dross leaving, and some new signings confirmed in the next few weeks and we might just start to feel positive about the club again.
 
Shteeve!!

Has he gone bald or something? Thought that's one of the criterias.
 
I don't have a problem with this. People on here get weird about coaching staff.
 
The turnaround sounds like someone jumped the gun on a story that wasn't confirmed yet, there's no way the board just folded after an hour because a journo put a story out.

Anyway, looking forward to having Steve back, hopefully he does something unlike Phelan...
 
I hope the next stories we get are a list of players to be released at the end of the season. I might be excited for the new coming season then
 
Cool, good to see Ten Hag getting the staff that he wants. Two people he is currently working with or has worked with before is a good start.
 
I think it’s a disservice to compare appointing McClaren and appointing Phelan. One has a far better CV than the other.

I wouldnt even consider McClaren as one of the old United boys. He was only here like 3 years tops?

Its a classy thing as well that McClaren is returning the favour for ETH. He pretty much gave him his break in football management at Twente.
 
The turnaround sounds like someone jumped the gun on a story that wasn't confirmed yet, there's no way the board just folded after an hour because a journo put a story out.

Anyway, looking forward to having Steve back, hopefully he does something unlike Phelan...

Doubly so because the board consist - in addition to Arnold and the CFO - of a bunch of Glazers who are probably just about done with their morning coffee at this point.
 
Why will SAF find this threatening?

Just another old timer from his era who may not agree with him. If I saw myself as the font of all knowledge on the old United way I wouldn't want someone else around filling that slot too.
 
I suggested bringing him on an assistant when Ole was here, so Ole could have more experience around him than Phelan. I think this is low key a very good appointment.

If he isn't doing anything, he might as well start now. He'd be better than the replacement level MLS lads.
 
Great, some experienced coaches coming in.
prior to joining United first time mcclaren was highly recognised as a new type of coach, using all the tech available at the time. Fantastic appointment
 
I don't see why the board would give a toss except for SAF who I can see finding it threatening. Suspect that was the blockage.
I think it's more likely the board weren't even awake to confirm this appointment as they're based in America. Most likely some trigger happy journo jumped the gun on a story so he could be the first to put it out there and then had to back track.

If anything SAF would want us to win a league regardless who's in charge before he dies. It must be heartbreaking to watch your life's work be torn down in a matter of months.
 
In fairness Fergie needs to stay out of it at this stage. If he’s had any input in his hands off years surely the results speak for themselves and that includes bringing Ronaldo back. It’s forward we need to go. We can’t live on lovely past memories forever. These guys may need to learn on the job and we may be shite for a few years. Some peoples favourite lazy players might get sold. So be it. We are in an absolute state compared to the other top clubs
 
I suggested bringing him on an assistant when Ole was here, so Ole could have more experience around him than Phelan. I think this is low key a very good appointment.

If he isn't doing anything, he might as well start now. He'd be better than the replacement level MLS lads.

Would he have wanted to work under Ole?
 
Love it, start how you mean to go on ETH. Let’s start shifting some of the deadwood out of the squad next, and freeing up some cash!!
 
Aaaaaaand this.

What the hell? Why would he want Steve?
Because he's shown himself to be a very accomplished assistant? I wouldn't want Carlos Queiroz as my manager but I'd take him as part of the coaching staff any day.
 
I reckon that’s what he’ll do - help Ten Hag identify who to sell, which youngster to promote/integrate into the squad next season and identify the type of signings Ten Hag needs for his system.
I am sorry but that would be stupid duty to give him.

It's already job description for Fletch regarding the youngster promotion part. Even if he doesn't do good job, the head coach which with report that ETH want personally power to look into these things. At this stage, there shouldn't be any delegation of responsibility. I doubt he knows ETH's system. His role is more about knowing ETH, the person and the English football culture (Dutch football and previous SAF assistant manager experience have their role but to a lesser extend here). He has a solid starting point for this assistant manager role. That's it.

RR interim period report should already be a good starting point to assess the squad. No need to add another middle man and complicate thing even further before ETH arrive in the office.
 
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Great, some experienced coaches coming in.
prior to joining United first time mcclaren was highly recognised as a new type of coach, using all the tech available at the time. Fantastic appointment
The thing is, apparently he's still using late 90s tech.
 
Great, some experienced coaches coming in.
prior to joining United first time mcclaren was highly recognised as a new type of coach, using all the tech available at the time. Fantastic appointment
Now he's using the tech from the 90s!

Imagine the look on the players faces when he pulls out a PDA and pager
 
Weird story.

EtH as the Head Coach is responsible for the staff he brings with him, I don't think the club really objected to MaClaren if ETH really wanted him here
 
Going to be pretty cool to have McClaren back, now if just people can learn how to write his name!
 
Has an ex-England manager ever become an Assistant Manager before?

Pretty sure Venables was something like that for McClaren when he was England’s manager.

Plus McClaren was an assistant for Sven when he was still Boro manager I think.

I guess McClaren just likes the coaching gig and doesn’t have an ego about it.
 
I'm confused. I thought it's been widely reported that we paid Ajax extra so ETH could bring van der Gaag with him as his assistant?