Manchester United: Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s assistants | Football News

Steve McClaren has been confirmed as one of Erik ten Hag’s assistant coaches at Manchester United alongside Mitchell van der Gaag.

The former England manager, who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Old Trafford between 1999 and 2001, has not been seen in a coaching role since he managed QPR in the 2018/19 season, although he was a technical director at Derby for nine months until last September.

McClaren has previous experience of working with new United boss Ten Hag – who takes over from Ralf Rangnick on Monday – with the Dutch head coach acting as the former Middlesbrough manager’s assistant at FC Twente.

Van der Gaag, meanwhile, has spent the last year as Ten Hag’s assistant at Ajax, having been the manager of the Dutch club’s reserve team for the previous two years. Both McLaren and Van der Gaag were alongside Ten Hag at Selhurst Park to watch Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.

McLaren was a member of United’s coaching staff during one of the most successful periods in their history. His first half season under Ferguson’s wing at Old Trafford saw the club win the treble in 1999, while United also won league titles with McClaren in the dugout in 2000 and 2001.

After managing Middlesbrough to a 2004 Carling Cup triumph, he was then made a coach for the England national team, before becoming a permanent Three Lions boss after the 2006 World Cup.

England’s failure to qualify for Euro 2008 with McClaren as manager led to his sacking by the FA, and he then took up head coach roles in the Netherlands with Twente and in Germany with VfL Wolfsburg, before returning to his home country to manage Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Newcastle and QPR.

Ten Hag will speak for the first time as Manchester United manager in a press conference at 10am on Monday, which you can follow on the Sky Sports website.

What must Ten Hag solve at Man Utd?

Ten Hag is Manchester United’s chosen candidate to lead the club into the new era and he must waste no time in tackling the pressing issues at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag has forgone his plans to be part of Ajax’s post-season trip as he looks to tackle the mountainous task that awaits him at Old Trafford.

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick has warned wholesale changes are necessary at United and, as Ten Hag prepares to start his new role, Sky Sports takes a look at some of the key areas the Dutchman must rectify…

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