Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren – who are these new Manchester United coaching staff?

While the English Premier League giants Manchester United are busy restructuring the coaching staff ahead of the new season, Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren are ready to join the club with the new Dutch manager Erik ten Hag. Here we are briefly introducing Van der Gaag and McClaren.

Manchester United are running in another trophy-less season with very disappointing overall results. While the Red Devils now have no chance to qualify for the next UEFA Champions League season, the current sixth-positioned side in the latest PL 2021/22 table is still battling to secure their spot for the next UEFA Europa League season.

The 52-year-old Erik ten Hag is ready to join Manchester United as the new manager very soon. The Red Devils have huge hope for him to rebuild the team as their past dominant reputation because of his recent success in the Dutch club Ajax.

The 50-year-old Dutch manager Mitchell van der Gaag and the 61-year-old English manager Steve McClaren will also reportedly join the club very soon as the coaching staff. Though there is no official announcement yet from Manchester United about Van der Gaag and Steve McClaren’s joining, Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed this news.

Mitchell van der Gaag

The former centre-back started his manager role in 2008. After he spent his initial managerial career in Portugal and Cyprus, Van der Gaag recently worked for various Dutch clubs.

While Van der Gaag was the head coach of the Ajax reserve team between 2019 and 2021, he was promoted as the assistant manager of Ajax last summer. So, there is no doubt that Erik ten Hag has impressed with his new assistant manager after their one complete season.

Talking about the trophies, Van der Gaag helped CF Os Belenenses to win the Portuguese second division league title back in the 2012/13 season (2012/13 Segunda Liga), which helped the club to return to the top flight after three seasons.

Assistant manager Van der Gaag also played an important role for Ajax to win the Eredivisie 2021/22 trophy, the Dutch first division league. While they were eliminated from the Round of 16 of the latest UEFA Champions League, they finished as the runners-up in the domestic cup competition (KNVB Cup 2021/22).  

Van der Gaag hasn’t any experience in English football yet, both as a player and manager. However, he has some football experience in the UK as a player, as the centre-back served for the Scottish club Motherwell between early 1995 and June 1997.

Steve McClaren

Since he started his coaching career back in 1992, Steve McClaren has already experienced many crucial roles for various clubs. Apart from managerial or assistant managerial roles, McClaren has also played the roles of Advisor and Technical Director.

Before his more than a year coaching tenure for England’s national football team between 2006 and 2007, McClaren worked twice for his national team as an assistant manager.

The versatile man is not a new name in Manchester United. During Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, McClaren was the assistant manager of the club between early 1999 and 2001 summer. He was a member of Manchester United’s historic treble (won the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles in the same season) in the 1998/99 season.

The former midfielder McClaren is popular for successfully using modern technologies. By using video analysis and sports psychologists efficiently, he has developed himself as one of the most tactically astute English coaches. 

Before his possible Manchester United return, McClaren served for the EFL Championship team Derby County. While he was the Technical Director of the team before the team entered administration, he then continued the club as an advisor of the management.