Former Newcastle United boss lands shock Manchester United coaching role

Former Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren has been appointed as an assistant coach to Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.

The Red Devils announced on Monday morning that the 61-year-old is returning to Old Trafford, 21 years since his previous spell under Sir Alex Ferguson.

McClaren left Man United to pursue his own managerial career in 2001, where took charge of Middlesbrough, England, FC Twente, Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest and Derby County before landing the Newcastle gig in 2015.

Magpies fans need no reminding of how unsuccessful McClaren’s time on Tyneside was - overseeing 28 of the 38 games during the club’s relegation to the Championship in 2015/16.

That was despite spending £83million across two transfer windows - the summer and January - on the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Jonjo Shelvey and Andros Townsend.

McClaren, whose last management role was at Queens Park Rangers, has been working as an advisor to Wayne Rooney at Derby but reunites with ten Hag with the pair first working together at FC Twente.

“I thought I worked hard until I met Erik,” said McClaren. “His great strength lies not just in his attention to detail and organisation. He has a clear philosophy of how he wants to play football; the environment he wants to create.”

McClaren was in attendance during Man United’s 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday. Mitchell van der Gaag will also assist ten Hag.