Steve McClaren joins Queens Park Rangers in coaching role

Steve McClaren

Ex-England manager Steve McClaren has joined Queens Park Rangers as a coach under boss Harry Redknapp.

The 52-year-old has been out of work since leaving Dutch club FC Twente in February.

He said: "Whilst it still remains my ambition to manage again this gives me an ideal opportunity to stay involved and work with one of the top managers at a very ambitious club.

"I'll be doing all I can to help QPR return to the Premier League."

QPR were relegated in May and Redknapp has been forced to quash rumours that he wanted to leave the London club.

Now Redknapp has strengthened his coaching staff by adding McClaren to a back room team that includes the experienced Kevin Bond and Joe Jordan.

"I am delighted to have been able to bring Steve in," Redknapp told the QPR website.

"Everyone in the game knows what a top coach he is and he'll add something different to the group, regardless of how long he is with us for.

"I want new ideas, different opinions and another experienced head to speak to. That's what Steve brings.

"Along with Kevin and Joe I've got a brilliant backroom team and their input is going to be so important for me this season. Steve adds to the excellent staff I already have here."

McClaren was reportedly interviewed for the Wigan manager's job before the Latics appointed Owen Coyle last month.

He began his coaching career at Derby County before moving to Manchester United, where he played a part in their historic treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in 1999.

But he made his name as manager of Middlesbrough during a five-year spell that saw the club win their first major honour when lifting the League Cup in 2004, while he also took them to the 2006 Uefa Cup final where they were beaten 4-0 by Sevilla.

His success at the Riverside earned him the chance to manage England after Sven-Goran Eriksson stepped down in 2006 but under his guidance, the national team failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

McClaren rebuilt his reputation by winning the Dutch league with unfashionable FC Twente.

But he failed to repeat that success during subsequent spells with German club Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, and on his return for a second stint at FC Twente.

He joins on the day QPR agreed to sell defender Christopher Samba back to Anzhi Makhachkala for a £12m fee.