ON THE ROAD: McClaren enjoys brolly good show as Derby goals rain down on Forest

By Simon Cass

PUBLISHED: 17:00 EST, 23 March 2014 | UPDATED: 21:05 EST, 23 March 2014

With 83 minutes played and his side 5-0 to the good against arch rivals Nottingham Forest, Steve McClaren emerged from the Derby dugout for the first time into the pouring rain. Not a brolly in sight.

Derby are looking good value for a playoff place, meaning McClaren has a fighting chance of being in the Premier League next season.

The route back from his England misery has taken McClaren from both success and disappointment with FC Twente in Holland, via a failed attempt in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg.

On the up: Steve McClaren has recovered from his England nightmare to impress at Derby County

Ram raid: Johnny Russell (C) smashes in Derby's fourth goal during their 5-0 rout of rivals Nottingham Forest

Gaffer: McClaren (C) watches from the dugout as Derby staked their claim for a Premier League return

Celebration: Derby's Craig Bryson is mobbed by team-mates and the club mascot after scoring

Remarkably, it has also included a short-lived spell at Forest, McClaren having previously replaced Billy Davies to add another storyline to this East Midlands derby.

McClaren then took up an offer of coaching at QPR from Harry Redknapp before he was picked to replace Nigel Clough at Derby in September following defeat by, you guessed it, Forest.

Redemption is probably  too strong a word but six  successful months at Derby have certainly served to re-integrate McClaren into the English game.

It is almost 13 years since Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson entrusted McClaren with the task of bringing success to Teesside, faith which he repaid by  leading them to victory in the League Cup — their first major honour — and a UEFA Cup final.

Wally in the brolly: McClaren was derided for failing to qualify England for the 2008 European Championships

Mr Nice Guy: McClaren was criticised for being too friendly with some of England;s leading players

Now he is reviving Derby and, as the prospect of the playoffs looms large, McClaren must be itching to prove  himself all over again in the Premier League.

‘You should know better than that,’ replied McClaren when asked if he had dared to dream. ‘Ask me this when maybe it is the playoffs or a playoff final, but not at the moment.

‘We are not even thinking about it. There are a lot of good teams in a lot of good form.’

Barring Uwe Rosler at Wigan, the Championship top six are all managed by Brits. Their best chance, if not their only chance, of being a boss in the top flight is via promotion.

And reaching the promised land is only half the battle.

Staying in a job, and not  seeing it handed to the  likes of Pepe Mel, Mauricio Pochettino or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when times are tough, is perhaps an even more difficult task.

McClaren said: ‘There are a lot of good British managers out there, some of whom aren’t even getting a chance in the Championship, never mind the Premier League.

‘And, as we have seen, do they get the opportunity once they go in there? That is a  bigger subject that probably needs to be addressed.

‘The Championship is a strong league and there are some damn good managers and teams in it. Hopefully British managers will get the rewards, if they deserve it.’

The comments may sound odd coming from McClaren, one of the few managers in recent memory who has chanced his arm abroad.

Dutch of class: McClaren left the UK to find success in Europe, including winning the Eredivisie with FC Twente

Bench mark: McClaren struggled to scale the same heights in Germany before being sacked by Wolfsburg

Ill-fated: McClaren made an return to England as Nottingham Forest boss before resigning shortly after

But his excursion to Europe was driven by necessity rather than by a wealthy Premier League owner being tempted by a foreign manager allegedly brimming with new coaching concepts.

That theory is, of course, debunked by men like McClaren, who in his early coaching career was lauded as a pioneer when it came to training methods and the use of technology.

At Derby he has cut his coat according to his cloth magnificently, a fact demonstrated by the way his side ruthlessly took Forest apart.

The drubbing saw Craig Bryson become the first Derby player to score a hat-trick against Forest since Steve Bloomer 116 years ago.

There is a picture on the press-room wall of Derby’s team prior to the move to the Baseball Ground in 1895. 

Also represented is, of course, Brian Clough along with another former manager Jim Smith. It was Smith who recommended his then No 2, McClaren, to Alex Ferguson.

Three and easy: Craig Bryson became the first player to score a hat-trick for Derby against Forest for 116 years

Right hand man: McClaren could have eventually replaced Alex Ferguson (L) at United had England not intervened

Had the England job not thrown McClaren’s career off course, he might have been the chosen one rather than David Moyes. Though judging by  the scrutiny the Scot’s start  to life at Manchester

United has brought, McClaren is probably well out of it.

Flying the British flag at Derby will do just fine.

Performance of the week

Hard to look past Derby, but Notts County’s 4-1 win over fellow League One strugglers Carlisle will do wonders for belief that Shaun Derry’s side can drag themselves off the foot of the table and pull off a great escape. Far-from-safe Crewe are up next tomorrow night.

Hope: Gary Liddle (C) scores an overhead kick against Carlisle to give Notts County a chance of survival

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Josh, Wirral, 5 hours ago

If you look back in the comments to when he was appointed, many were mocking Derby and saying he would relegate them. Who's laughing now?

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Yorkyram111, Castleford, United Kingdom, 15 hours ago

He's the man..what a sweet victory for the mighty RAMS..and to think it's looking like the poison dwarf is getting the sack..well..even better!!..lol..lol..lol..

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