Steve McLaren

[Marlon From Bearwood]

I would like to know the Boro fans take on him. I seem to remember at the time he got them to the UEFA cup final, he was well liked and respected by Boro fans.

On the surface, a LC win and a UEFA Cup final for a team who had won nowt before would be enough to cement hero status.  But there were quite a few Boro fans happy when he got the England gig in 2006 - there were even suggestions that he was close to getting pushed a few months earlier.

They watch their team more than we do, so there must have been a reason for their dissatisfaction.

I used to work with a Boro fan and Mclaren wasn't that popular with them. Cast your minds back to his last season at Boro - an awful Villa side under DOL won 4-0 at the Riverside and a Boro fan ran accross the pitch and threw his season ticket at Mclaren.

[Matt C]

He strikes me as a being a good coach but not, as is often the case, necessarily a good manager.

[jonc73]

I'm sure the Boro fans had a much better time of it with Strachan and Southgate in charge???Steve Mac has got to be the most or one of the most successful they've ever had.Sheffield Wed, Charlton all had fans unhappy at their mid table Premiership finishes-I bet they'd take one now

Twente had never won the league in their history before he came along. He'd be a risk for me as he's had a hit and miss career, but seems to me he gets quite a rough deal overall.When did Villa manager last win a carling cup and European final appearance?

[KidPoker]

I think he gets remembered too much in a bad light. Yes, his England reign was a disaster but he is actually a pretty decent coach.

I actually agreed with the Mirror article about him rebuilding his reputation last week. He could have lived off the money he has received throughout his career quite comfortably, rather he went off to Holland and Germany. How many managers would do that?

[john e]

I think he gets remembered too much in a bad light. Yes, his England reign was a disaster but he is actually a pretty decent coach.

I actually agreed with the Mirror article about him rebuilding his reputation last week. He could have lived off the money he has received throughout his career quite comfortably, rather he went off to Holland and Germany. How many managers would do that?

he was a man i could never warm to, he never filled me with any confidence at all.

but i really do admire what he did when he left the England job, to win the league in Holland is no mean feat, and as you say he has done much to rebuild his reputation.

he takes much the same stick as Graham Taylor did after his stint in the hot seat with England,
 if you ask any fans other than Villa and Watford, you'l get much the same opionions as we have on here about McC,laren

and we know that they are wrong

[Whiney MacWhineface]

A manager must have the respect of his staff. McLaren may be a first-class coach/manager, but in this country all people will see is the wally with the brolly and that Youtube clip. McLaren should stay abroad, preferably somewhere where the Internet hasn't penetrated. Try Antarctica Steve. Or Small Heath.

[gaucho1966]

A manager must have the respect of his staff. McLaren may be a first-class coach/manager, but in this country all people will see is the wally with the brolly and that Youtube clip. McLaren should stay abroad, preferably somewhere where the Internet hasn't penetrated. Try Antarctica Steve. Or Small Heath.

Even so, there's no way I'd want McLaren anywhere near The Villa.

[sfx412]

People underestimate McLaren, as can be seen above.
He's one of the most respected quality coaches out there, respected by other managers and by players alike. I used to work in Middlesbrough, during both his and Robsons time in charge and know plenty of Boro fans, who think the bloke was great especially for bringing on kids. He isn't the best at finding quality cheap, and for me he gets bogged down in theory often times.
He's also not a winner and lacks dynamism so choosing him would be an indication of a safe bet by the owners, the sort of guy who will toe the company line, say the right things when needed, take the flack and probably achieve sweet fa.

Not for me.
We need a dynamic driving force with experience of running a team into regular top 5 finishes, he's not that

[john e]

A manager must have the respect of his staff. McLaren may be a first-class coach/manager, but in this country all people will see is the wally with the brolly and that Youtube clip. McLaren should stay abroad, preferably somewhere where the Internet hasn't penetrated. Try Antarctica Steve. Or Small Heath.

Even so, there's no way I'd want McLaren anywhere near The Villa.

yeah, we dont want any one thats won cups and the league on there CV,
lets get in Moyes cus he's won didly squat, thats just what we want at VP a big fat loser

[Damo70]

I'm sure the Boro fans had a much better time of it with Strachan and Southgate in charge???Steve Mac has got to be the most or one of the most successful they've ever had.Sheffield Wed, Charlton all had fans unhappy at their mid table Premiership finishes-I bet they'd take one now

Twente had never won the league in their history before he came along. He'd be a risk for me as he's had a hit and miss career, but seems to me he gets quite a rough deal overall.When did Villa manager last win a carling cup and European final appearance?

When did a Villa manager last win a league cup and get to a European final? That would be GH in 2001 wouldn't it? Plus he won the European final and the FA cup into the bargain. Anyway, forget McLaren. Let's start a Holloway for Villa post and watch the entire tinternet melt down in minutes!

[TheSandman]

O'Neill did both those things too.

[cheltenhamlion]

Sorry. Was someone proclaiming that MON and McLaren won the FA cup? A European tournament? I hope I read that wrong. What the fuck is wrong with Moyes, should it come to pass?

On a different note, the candidates chucking their hat into the ring looks an awful lot stronger this time.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Winning things is great. No complaints there. But a vital part of any manager's job is to instill belief, and respect is a big part of enabling that. It's tougher to get that respect when most of the country is laughing like a drain about you.

[jonc73]

When did a Villa manager last win a league cup and get to a European final? That would be GH in 2001 wouldn't it

No he was the Liverpool manager in 2001. I meant people are slagging Steve Mac off for his Boro record and if he'd done that at Villa he'd have been the most successful manager since Saunders

[KidPoker]

Winning things is great. No complaints there. But a vital part of any manager's job is to instill belief, and respect is a big part of enabling that. It's tougher to get that respect when most of the country is laughing like a drain about you.

He was 3rd - 4th choice for the England job in the first place. When he came in he was already fighting a losing battle. Blame the media hysteria who had it in for him from the first day because everyone else rejected the job.