• McClaren’s Newcastle face Bilic’s West Ham on Monday night
• Managers’ first encounter since Croatia beat England in Euro 2008Strong September sunshine is beating against the windows at Newcastle Uniteds training centre,when the conversation switches to Monday’s weather forecast for east London. “I hope it’s dry,” says Steve McClaren, and his thoughts turning to that wet November night at Wembley in 2007 and a rather smart Football Association issue umbrella.
Combined with a 3-2 win for Slaven Bilic’s Croatia and England’s failure to qualify for Euro 2008,his decision to seek shelter beneath it represented a rapid/fast witted headline writer’s dream. By the time the clock struck midnight, the soon-to-be-removed national coach had become “the Wally with the Brolly.”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com