Steve McClaren plans to freshen up Derby squad this summer

Steve McClaren will "refresh things" in his Derby squad as he begins to put his plans in place for next season.

The Rams' Championship campaign ended just over a week ago, with McClaren's men missing out on a play-off spot.

The Derby head coach intends on tweaking things at the iPro Stadium to ensure the Rams are in a position to mount a third successive promotion challenge under his guidance.

"It's about refreshing things now in order to move forwards," McClaren told the club's official website.

"From the time we came in until this point we kind of ran with things.

"We tried to put our stamp on what we are doing with the team without changing a lot to be honest.

"In the time we have been here we believe that we have created a culture and a positive environment, but now I think it is time to put a bit more of our stamp on things.

"We want to freshen things up and kick on; perhaps we have to be ruthless in what we do with regards with what we keep, what we let go and what we continue to do moving forwards."

Despite stressing the need to 'freshen things up', McClaren insists wholesale changes will not be necessary.

"Ninety per cent of everything here has been perfect but we just need to find that extra few per cent to push us on," he said.

"The last two months can cause you to blur the previous seven months and what we have achieved so far.

"The dressing room we have is fantastic but at the end of the season we just didn't have enough on the field.

"There's not wholesale changes needed, we just need to tinker with a few things - and adding to it - because there isn't a lot wrong here.

"We have to look at recreating the chemistry again and kicking on."