Jeff Stelling - McClaren Will "Please Toon Army With Fast-Paced Football"

Steve McClaren will "please the Toon Army" by playing an "exciting, fast-paced" brand of attacking football with Newcastle United, believes Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling. The Soccer Saturday host, who hails from the North East and is a huge Hartlepool United fan, admits to having "a lot of time" for ex-England boss McClaren and predicts he will do "okay" with the Magpies this year. Newcastle began their 2015-16 Barclays Premier League campaign with an exciting 2-2 home draw against Southampton on Sunday and, although they looked good going forward, the same old defensive frailties continued to plague the Magpies.

But, while raising awareness of prostate cancer in the UK, Stelling told The Chronicle:

"I€™ve got a lot of time for Steve McClaren. He did brilliantly abroad again. "He€™s been given a little bit of money to spend (at Newcastle), which is a big plus point. "I think the style of football they€™ll play will please the Toon Army, you know. "They will play a lot of exciting, fast-paced football."

Two players Stelling has pinpointed as being key for the Magpies going forward are summer signing Aleksandar Mitrovic, as well as playmaker Siem de Jong - who missed the majority of last season through injury. Stelling continued:

"If they can find somebody to stick the ball in the back of the net, which was an issue last season (then they'll be okay). "And I mean they signed Mitrovic, who€™ll probably start up front for them. "Siem de Jong is going be fit again, which is a big plus for them. "I think they€™ll be okay - and I hope Newcastle fans would take that. "I think they€™ll be okay this season under McClaren."

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