Steve McClaren was sacked by German club Wolfsburg yesterday after just eight months in charge. McClaren had taken the role with the Bundesliga club in May of last year, just weeks after clinching the Dutch Eredivise title with FC Twente. His dismissal comes with the club in 12th place in the league table, hovering dangerously just one point above the relegation zone.
Where did it all go wrong?
Upon McClaren's arrival in Germany, Wolfsburg had just finished a disappointing season in eighth position, a year after they had won their first ever Bundesliga title under Felix Magath. McClaren's objective was to get the team challenging for honours again and was given the finances to do just that. The Englishman bought well, bringing in such players as the highly rated Danish defender, Simon Kjaer and former Werder Bremen legend, Diego. With the Bosnian goal machine, Eden Dzeko deciding to stay at the club in the summer, Wolfsburg appeared to have a side more than capable of competing with Bayern Munch et al.
The season started poorly for the Wolves though as they lost their first three fixtures, a run which included throwing away a 3-0 lead at home to newly promoted Mainz. They picked up their first win of the campaign against Hannover and with that they started to climb the table, but what really hurt McClaren's position in the dugout was an incredible run of seven consecutive draws. This succession of results firmly established Wolfsburg in the bottom half of the table and left the former England manager clinging onto his job by his fingernails.
With Eden Dzeko sold to Manchester City in January for £27million, it was always going to be difficult for McClaren to turnaround his sides fortunes after the winter break and the final nail in the proverbial coffin came with defeats to runaway leaders Borussia Dortmund and a 1-0 reverse to Hannover.
Two steps forward, one step back
When Steve McClaren was handed the role of England manager after Sven-Goran Eriksson left in the wake of the 2006 World Cup, it appeared as though things could not get any better for the ex-Middlesbrough boss. However, 18 months later he was unceremoniously dumped by the FA as England failed to qualify for Euro 2008. The reputation he had forged as an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and then as the first man to win silverware with Middlesbrough had diminished in one disastrous spell with England.
McClaren saw the Twente job as an opportunity to kick start his career outside of the pressure and scrutiny of England and apart from that infamous interview with Dutch TV, it worked out brilliantly for the 49-year-old. After two years of unprecedented success in the Netherlands, McClaren was once again a wanted man and the job offer from Wolfsburg seemed like a natural step for a man willing to embrace life on the continent. However, having been sacked after not even close to a year in the hot seat in Germany, it will be up to McClaren to once again prove his ability at his next club.
Where next?
With his brief German adventure over, it will be interesting to see where McClaren decides to go next. With his reputation arguably higher in mainland Europe than in the British Isles, it is extremely likely that he will be offered the opportunity to continue his European adventure and having failed at Wolfsburg, he may want to enjoy success elsewhere before coming back to Britain. Inevitably though he will be linked to most vacant jobs in England, although it is likely to be too soon for him to be a genuine candidate to replace the departed Roberto Di Matteo at struggling West Brom. Wherever he does decide to move next, what is certain is that Steve McClaren will once again have to restore his managerial reputation after flopping in Germany.
Luke Winter - With a degree in Media and Sports Journalism I am a keen fan of any and all sports. I have been writing about the sporting world for the ...
