Newcastle Have "Damn Good Backroom Staff" And A Coach With "Great Potential"

Steve McClaren has heaped praise on his backroom staff.

By Chris Waugh /

Steve McClaren has been effusive in his praise of his Newcastle United backroom staff - declaring them to be "damn good" and talking up assistant head coach Ian Cathro as "a very good coach with great potential". The Magpies head coach took some time to assemble his backroom staff last month after being appointed as Newcastle boss and Cathro was as far back as fourth-choice to be his assistant. However, McClaren has been extremely impressed by what he has seen in the 29-year-old technical coach, who is determined to instill his footballing philosophy into the Magpies squad. Quoted in The Mirror this week, McClaren said of his staff:
"I think we have got a damn good staff here (at Newcaste). "To have coached in Portugal for two years and to have coached at Valencia as a Scot - and I don't understand them at the best of times - he (Cathro) must have something. "I did my homework in Scotland. People told me - former Scotland manager Craig Levein was one of them. I spoke to Nuno (Santo), the head coach at Valencia - people said he was a very good coach with great potential. "I think this is his (Cathro's) club - we have a policy where we get young players and we develop them. We have said we will get a young coach in and develop him, mentor him. "Alongside that we have got a bit of experience in Steve Black and Paul Simpson, who is a great organiser."
Former Brechin City and Forfar Athletic player Cathro has seen a rapid rise in his coaching career, despite still being a year shy of his 30th birthday. After being made Dundee United youth academy director by the age of 2012, Cathro was then appointed assistant boss at Rio Ave - before moving to Valencia, where he left this summer after guiding the Spanish club to an impressive fourth-placed finish in La Liga. CLICK HERE to read €œ14 Things Newcastle Fans Need To Know About Ian Cathro€.For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.