One of the bigger surprises of this summer in English football so far is the return of Steve McClaren to a coaching role with QPR. Ok, it isn’t a headline-making story to rival new appointments at last season’s Premier League top three, but there should be a degree of intrigue around the move.

Is it worth questioning Harry Redknapp in all of this? For a long time the former Tottenham manager was deemed to lack the tactical nous of his contemporaries, rather relying on his man management skills to get the best out of his players. On the face of it, where is the problem in a manager bettering his club’s chances of achieving their goals? Yet on this occasion, it may just be another reminder of Redknapp’s dwindling ability at the top of English football.

Steve McClaren may stand to get a lot out of this partnership. We know what we’re going to get with Redknapp, even if he makes a return to the Premier League. He likes a transfer and he’s not shy of opening up to the media, who all seem quite enamoured by him. McClaren, however, is a forgotten man in English football following his disastrous stint as the England coach. He chose to move on to the continent and pick up work there, furthering his views of the game and taking necessary steps to secure another reputable job either in the Premier League or Championship. The move to QPR, which is said to be for a period of three months, is another important step in that return.

Redknapp has always been one to surround himself with familiar names and faces when in the dugout. He contrasts the desire from other leading managers in England who wish to have almost total control of football matters, taking on an assistant but playing a key role in the day-to-day. But is that such a bad thing? At no point have we seen Redknapp struggle for supremacy at either Tottenham or Portsmouth, with everyone well aware that he is the figure with the highest platform who surveys the others. Surely he himself is well aware of his tactical shortcomings, while a figure like McClaren will go on to freshen up his backroom staff to a degree, offering insights that may not have been present in the past.

With Redknapp coming to the end of his career in management, one final glory day could be in taking QPR back into the Premier League. Adding extra bodies to his coaching staff will give him the best chance of doing so. He no longer has the options that were available to him at Spurs in Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart, so taking on a name like McClaren can only be a positive move in helping to get the best out of his squad for next season.

McClaren is also said to be well-liked by players and respected by his peers. The time he spent in the Netherlands and Germany will only have been a benefit to him, picking up the approach to the game from those well away from what is considered the norm in England. I’d be surprised if this three-month deal isn’t extended and McClaren then goes on to play a prominent role in promoting QPR back to the top flight.

Has Redknapp made a good move by adding McClaren to his coaching staff?

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