Thursday 11 June 2015 11:22, UK
Newcastle have confirmed former England boss Steve McClaren as their new head coach on a three-year deal.
McClaren, 54, was sacked by Derby on May 25 having overseen the Rams sliding from the top of the Championship to an eighth-place finish with just two wins in their last 13 games of the season.
But the Magpies, who only escaped relegation to the second tier courtesy of a final-day victory over West Ham, have put their faith in McClaren following the decision to part ways with caretaker-manager John Carver and his assistant Steve Stone.
McClaren, who has turned down the Newcastle job three times in recent years, has signed a three-year deal with the option of a further five.
McClaren revealed that owner Mike Ashley's interview with Sky Sports before Newcastle's final game of the season against West Ham persuaded him that he wanted to take the job.
McClaren told Sky Sports News HQ: "The key was the statement he made before the West Ham game, where he actually came out with drive and determination and focus, and talked about the objectives and what he wanted to achieve. He did it with such verve and vigour. Everyone was convinced - everyone was rejuvenated."
And McClaren says he is delighted to finally arrive at St James' Park.
“I moved into this area 15 years ago and became manager of Middlesbrough - and then I realised how big a club Newcastle was," he said.
“I always wanted to have this job - always. I’ve had two or three opportunities, as far back as 2004 when I was at Middlesbrough, meeting (former Newcastle chairman) Freddie Shepherd.
“But everything is about timing in football and it wasn’t the right time in 2004. Then I was at Twente, they got relegated, there was an interest, but unfortunately I was at FC Twente and I’d only been there for a year. So again, timing, and loyalty to FC Twente to stay on.
“And then obviously the well-documented (offer) of January just gone, where again, the timing wasn’t right. I had a job to do at Derby.
“We were on course doing that. I’d only been there just over a year and I felt that the timing wasn’t right: we were top of the league, going to achieve what we wanted to achieve – getting into the Premier League – and the job...I wanted to finish it.
“It wasn’t a case of turning Newcastle down at all. It was a case of staying loyal to Derby and that’s what I wanted to do.”
Goals
McClaren is clear about his immediate targets for next season.
“The objective is top eight, to win a trophy,” he said. “That’s something that has been transmitted to me through meetings with (managing director) Lee Charnley and the rest of the board. That’s what we want to achieve, that’s what we must achieve together.
“When you look at the West Ham game, the last game of the season, I thought ‘that’s a football club that sticks together on and off the field’. And if we can add to that, plan well and get the right recruitment and we get the right resources as well, this club can take off.”
McClaren began his managerial career as Derby assistant in 1995 and went on to become Sir Alex Ferguson's right-hand man at Manchester United until 2001.
After two years as Sven-Goran Eriksson's assistant for England, McClaren quit the role in 2002 to concentrate on matters at Middlesbrough, who had given him his first managerial post the year before.
During his five years at the Riverside, Boro won the League Cup and qualified for Europe for the first time in their history, and McClaren was rewarded with the England job in 2006.
His tenure as head coach of the national team - the shortest in England's history at just 16 months and 18 games - was a disastrous one as England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008 resulted in his sacking in November 2007.
He went on to manage FC Twente (twice), Wolfsburg and Nottingham Forest before returning to Derby in 2013.
Managing director Lee Charnley said: "From my first meeting with Steve, I knew he was the perfect fit for Newcastle United. I am delighted that we have secured the services of one of the best coaches in English football."
Steve has been tasked to secure a top-eight finish in the Premier League and he is also heavily incentivised to try to win a cup competition.
"We recognise supporters' strong desire to win a trophy, an ambition which the club now shares as (owner) Mike Ashley made clear in his comments on the final day of the season.
"Steve is excited by this and he has our full support in trying to achieve this goal."
