19 Things We Learned From Steve McClaren's BBC Radio Newcastle Interview

10. Steve Completely Dodged The Question About Rolando Aaron's Contract Situation

A caller directly put it to McClaren that we should be tying the winger down to a new contract rather than focussing on bringing in new players, to which Steve replied:

"I remember watching him for England Under-20s. We (Derby County) were signing Jordan Ibe, he was on one side and Rolando was on the other. 'Wow', I thought. I nearly phoned up the next day, Alan Pardew was in charge and I said: 'Alan you've got to let this kid come to Derby he'd be fantastic.' "He gets you off your seat and we want players like that. He's got the pace, excitement, he's a little bit erratic and inconsistent at the present moment but he's only very young and that will come. But we don't want to block Rolando's progress and pathway into the first team where eventually he will be, we're introducing him slowly. "We played him at left-back in one of the pre-season games and he was absolutely terrific and that will improve his defensive work which he needs to do. "We don't want to block Rolando's progress, we want him at this football club, eventually in this first team because he's going to be one exciting player."

How exactly wrapping up Rolando's contract will block his progress is anyone's guess? Steve dodged this question in such a shifty way that you have to believe something has gone on behind the scenes that hasn't come out in the public realm yet. The player is reported to have been in contract talks with the club since late last year. Why is it taking so long?