Steve McClaren Moves On To Fourth Choice As Search For Newcastle Assistant Continues

By Chris Waugh / June 22, 2015

Newcastle United head coach Steve McClaren has seen Plans A, B and C fail as he searches for an assistant boss - and he will now have to move on to his fourth choice. With Phil Neville and Bolo Zenden having already rejected approaches from the Magpies to become McClaren's number two, Steve Round has also turned down the opportunity to return to Tyneside. Sam Allardyce's first-team coach during his tenure at St James' Park, Round was on McClaren's staff at both Middlesbrough and England but the pair will not be reunited for a third time at the Magpies.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Round revealed he had turned down an approach from McClaren to join the former FC Twente boss at Newcastle:

"We spoke a couple of days ago, and he asked if I'd be interested, but he also knows it's not what I want to do next. I want to be a head coach or a manager. "That's no disrespect to Newcastle. I worked there for a year with Big Sam and Kevin Keegan, and it's a magnificent club with great supporters, but at the moment I don't think I'll be joining them. €œTo be a head coach or manager is my number one target. If that doesn\t happen in the coming months I'll have to drop back to being a number two or coach, and I've got no problems with that."

Instead, The Chronicle claim that Newcastle's attention has shifted towards Derby County's Paul Simpson and Swansea City's Kristian O'Leary. Simpson should become available later this week, with new Rams boss Paul Clement keen to bring in his own backroom staff, meaning a reunion in the North East could be on the cards. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.