Steve McClaren is back at Manchester United.
The 61-year-old, whose coaching career includes being part of English football's only treble-winning team and a stint as England manager, has been employed to help the Red Devils return to glory under new boss Erik ten Hag, working his assistant alongside fellow trusted confidant Mitchell van der Gaag.
Despite his glittering CV, however, McClaren's 21-year journey back to Old Trafford hasn't been smooth sailing. Employed as Sir Alex Ferguson 's right-hand man from 1999 to 2001, the Yorkshireman left United for his first senior post and enjoyed five years at Middlesbrough.
Success on Teesside saw him appointed England manager in 2006 - having also assisted Sven-Goran Eriksson in the Three Lions setup - but he'd only last 14 months. Amid a run disappointing performances which would last until November of 2007 when England unfathomably missed out of qualifying for the European Championships, McClaren was under intense scrutiny, something which Ferguson believes was brought on by UK's TV culture at the time.
Defending his old assistant following a draw away to Israel and victory over Andorra, the legendary Red Devils boss claimed: "We have a mocking situation in this country now. You see it on all these TV shows where the panellists criticise the contestants. There's a mocking industry now and it's even generated by television programmes. Even when they skate, the panel then criticises them.
Have your say! Will McClaren help bring success back to Man Utd? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.
"It's just a mocking culture we've got so when they [football supporters] see that [on television] they mock the manager, they ridicule him. It's hard to take. It's very wrong and makes it very, very difficult."
Ferguson's comments prompted official responses of both ITV and BBC, who broadcasted popular shows such as The X Factor, Pop Idol and Strictly Come Dancing.
The Scot was even reluctant to simply blame the media, asking: "Where do you apportion blame in this culture we've created? I don't know. Has the press created that or is it just our culture? I don't have hard answers." Ferguson added: "He'll be feeling it. "But he's a man and he'll get on with it."
Unfortunately for McClaren, he'd be voted off after missing out of Euro 2008, with the image of him standing on the Wembley touchline, umbrella in hand, during an infamous 3-2 defeat to Croatia forever etched into Three Lions fans' mind.
Now, though, 'the Wally with the Brolly' - who later admitted the job was 'too big for him - has the chance to demonstrate just why Ferguson chose him to join his coaching staff midway through the 1998-99 season, before the club's historic treble triumph, and why he went on to lead Dutch side Twente to the Eredivisie title in 2010.
"They both know how to get success, because they both win titles and trophies in their careers," Ten Hag, who was MClaren's right-hand man at Twente, explained when asked why he selected him and Van der Gaag to usher in his Old Trafford revolution. "That's why they're here."
