Steve McClaren: Former England manager turned student wants to run a club

McClaren was sacked by Newcastle United in March after nine months in charge

Former England and Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren says he eventually wants to run his own football club.

The 55-year-old Englishman, who was sacked by Newcastle in March, says he still has ambitions as a manager.

But he has recently enrolled at Manchester Metropolitan University in order to gain a Masters degree in Sporting Directorship.

"The next step in the future will be as a chief executive or sporting director, or even running my own club," he said.

"To do that I had to acquire different skills and go back to school. It's probably old age. I always wanted to coach and manage. I know that won't last forever."

McClaren managed England from August 2006 to November 2007 and also had spells in charge of Middlesbrough, Derby County, Nottingham Forest, German side Wolfsburg and Dutch club FC Twente.

"I still have a few years left in me yet on the field," he told BBC Sport.

"I have had offers from abroad, but nothing that appeals. I don't want to go to China. I feel I have something to offer here. If not here, then in Europe."

The two-year part-time course, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, counts former England cricketer Ashley Giles among its alumni.

McClaren is in the third intake of students, a group that includes:

• Kevin Davies, a former footballer with England, Chesterfield, Southampton, Blackburn, Bolton and Preston;

• Mark Cueto, a former rugby union player with England and Sale Sharks;

• Karen Bardsley, the England and Manchester City Women goalkeeper;

• Gary Bowyer, the manager of League Two football club Blackpool;

• Mike Rush, the chief executive of top rugby league club St Helens.

Former Manchester United and Everton assistant manager Steve Round, another current student, was recently appointed technical director at Aston Villa.

McClaren with his famous classmates including Cueto, Bardsley, Bowyer and Davies

'I was the right man at the wrong time'

McClaren has suggested that his spell with Newcastle came at the wrong time.

He was sacked after nine months in charge at St James' Park, winning six of 28 Premier League games.

Newcastle appointed former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez as his successor, but suffered relegation to the Championship.

McClaren believes the club have now restructured well under the Spaniard.

"Run correctly and righty, as a football club it will thrive," said McClaren. "Unfortunately, I was the right man at the wrong time.

"What Rafa has done is gone in and gained control. It needed a big change.

"He has bought players with Championship experience, leaders in the dressing room, which was something that was badly needed."