On May 25, Beijing time (UTC+7), McClaren explained on the podcast "High Performance" that Sir Alex Ferguson allowed flexibility on off-pitch matters as long as players gave their best in training and matches. When Erik ten Hag took over, he also implemented strict discipline and showed no compromise with Ronaldo, Rashford, Sancho, and others. However, in a system where his fate was decided in just a few matches, he had no opportunity to truly get to know the players.

"Performance" is one thing; performing under pressure is quite another. Was there a moment in your career when you thought: "I thought that was pressure, but this is real pressure"?

When I went to manage England, that was definitely the pinnacle. I'll always remember the first press conference. With microphones in front of you, 200 journalists, flashbulbs, cameras, and then the first question comes: "Steve, how does it feel to be the second choice for the next England manager?" I thought: "Wow, welcome to the job of England manager."

That noise and media scrutiny—nobody can prepare you for it. It took me about six months to get a handle on it, and those six months were really tough. They even read lips on the team bus.

How does coaching change when you decide to "burn your bridges" and just be yourself?

I often tell managers later that football is theatre. You're part of it, but it's not just about you and your team; it's the entire surrounding performance.

How should we as outsiders understand the difference between an assistant and a head coach?

As an assistant, you believe you're contributing and offering advice. But on your first day as head coach, you're actually making decisions. What colour should the socks be? Which shirt should we take on the trip? Which jacket do we need to wear? You're completely overwhelmed by decisions.

I'll always remember the advice Sir Alex Ferguson gave me when I left. He said: "Don't actively seek conflict. You'll get enough of it. It will come to you automatically." He also emphasised sleep and decision-making.

He said: "If you get seven out of ten decisions right, you've done very well." He himself got nine right. "But seven out of ten, that's a good job, son." I've always remembered that. Whenever I make a decision, I think: Don't worry, you'll get 30% wrong, but you're still doing well.

The pressure on the England manager is immense, but it's equally important to take pressure off the players, because the pressure of wearing the England shirt far exceeds that of a club. How do you find the mental capacity to help them manage that pressure?

I don't think we really managed it, otherwise we would have done better in tournaments. We communicated a lot, but it's very individual, and you have to show that charisma. That's why Southgate is so successful—he has that calmness. Eriksson had it too.

Based on my experience in three major tournaments, there are three key points. First, you need energy. Players are always tired at the end of a hard season. Second, you must keep your key players healthy. In all three tournaments, we had key players injured—Beckham, Rooney. Third, and this is crucial, things have to go your way. Red cards, penalties, the bounce of the ball—nobody can control that. So England always has a chance, but you can never say they're guaranteed to win.

Were the two matches that cost you qualification for Euro 2008 just bad luck?

Those were Russia and Croatia. We only needed a draw to qualify. Travelling to Russia to play on artificial turf was a very complex situation. We trained on a dry pitch, but before the match they watered it, and the ball moved incredibly fast. Against Croatia, we were 0-2 down, came back to 2-2, the momentum was with us, but in the last 15 minutes someone scored from 30 metres out... things happened that you couldn't control. That's why you have to control what's controllable.

When you were standing on the sideline at that moment, did you think: "It's over, my England career is finished"?

Without question. That's the job. You're responsible for qualifying for a major tournament, and if you don't succeed, you're done. I remember Terry saying to me afterwards: "We'll back you, boss." But I declined. I felt it had to be my own responsibility—I had to go out and face it myself, and the players couldn't do it because they still had to play for England.

I remember driving home, and the long stretch from the main road to my house was lined with parked cars. Sky Sports told me to come out, make them tea, answer a few questions, and they'd leave. So my wife and I actually went out with a tea tray, handed cups under the gate, and answered a question or two. Ten minutes later, they were all gone.

When you lose a job like that, there's a sense of relief, which is quite sad, isn't it?

I think that's the feeling behind every managerial job. Nobody can explain this pressure.

During your time with England, was there a decision you later felt was too emotional?

The last match against Croatia. We came back to 2-2, the momentum was completely with us, and then we suddenly seemed to fall apart. At that moment, I thought, should I substitute Gerrard to bring some energy to midfield? But then I thought, he's our best player, what if I mess it up by taking him off?

I started thinking about the consequences, thinking too far ahead. I hesitated for about a minute or two, and just as I was about to say "substitution," they scored. I should have made that decision a minute earlier. That was a big lesson. Sir Alex Ferguson only needed to get seven out of ten decisions right, but these critical decisions you have to get right.

Where do you think Sir Alex Ferguson's conviction came from?

I think it's because he was a risk-taker. His decision-making was: "If this doesn't work, we take the risk." I saw him do that many times. He had meticulous preparation and therefore great conviction. And he never blamed anyone and never blamed his own failures.

You said you'd take responsibility when you started, and that seems a bit different from him?

Yes. I would say: "Maybe we need to work more on our defence." And he would say: "Shut up, Steve. It's the referee—the referee didn't give enough added time."

I thought maybe we need to analyse why we lost, and he would always say: "It's just the referee's fault, the linesman's decision. Let's move on."

Can you walk me through how Ferguson originally recruited you?

I was very happy working with Jim Smith at Derby County at the time. I was a coach and assistant, with the goal of becoming the best manager in England. I absorbed knowledge like a sponge, like climbing Mount Everest. Then one day, a journalist who knew Sir Alex well told me at a dinner that I might get a call in a couple of weeks. I didn't take it seriously at all—I thought it was just another rumour about David Moyes or someone else.

Then, on a Saturday evening, the phone rang. It was his voice. I thought it was a prank. He said: "Would you like to come to Manchester United?" I said yes. He said: "Good, then it's decided." The call was very short, concise, and abrupt. That's how he recruited me.

What was it like walking into that legendary dressing room?

When I first went to the hotel to meet the players, the Manchester United chairman introduced me to them and got my name wrong, calling me "Steve McClag".

I thought: "Oh, I'm done for." The players must have thought: "Who is this guy?" But the first thing Sir Alex said to me was: "That's why you're here. Because of everything you did at Derby County. Now go out and train the way you did at Derby County."

That was so important to me. He empowered me in that moment, gave me a blank canvas. In the three years we worked together, he gave me almost complete freedom. That's how he was with all his staff and all his players.

What was his secret to setting such high standards?

He only needed a look. Giggs once said we'd hear that cough on the stairs, and everyone would freeze in fear. It was like the headmaster coming—quick, get out.

His team talks were full of emotion, went straight to the heart. He knew every player, knew your grandparents, and would say: "Grandpa will be watching you from heaven." It was always about that "hook"—for example, in the 1999 FA Cup he would say: "Here's your chance, lads, a chance to reach for the stars." You'd sit there with goosebumps on your arms, and even now, just thinking about it.

What was it like dealing with players like Keane?

Roy always walked a fine line. He's someone I admire most. What a leader, what a captain. He never lost the ball in training. We played small-sided games, and I hoped he might shed that wild image, but he never lost the ball. He was the embodiment of standards.

Why could the boss set such standards? Because he had a captain who was exactly like him and demanded the same standards. I remember after a match we won 1-0, I said: "Well done, lads," and then Roy said: "Steve, shut up. We played terribly.

Did this job affect your mental health?

My family would definitely say yes. I would say yes, absolutely. But it's a kind of fear, I think—probably the fear of failure. It's like having an exam every three days, and I have to pass that exam or I'm in big trouble.

So I have to do my homework. All these great managers are the same—Sir Alex Ferguson, Erik ten Hag, Jim Smith. You compete with them to see who can work earlier and longer.

Years later, you returned to Manchester United and worked under Erik ten Hag. What's different?

It's simply different. I was fortunate to come to FC Barcelona under Sir Alex Ferguson when he was focused on character selection. His core point was: You have to be good in training and good in matches. That's it. Anything that interferes with that, you stop doing.

So if you gave everything in training and matches, even if you occasionally had a drink, he still needed you. That's what I learned: it's about recruitment, it's about people. Ferguson took three or four years to get recruitment right and remove the "dead wood".

When ten Hag arrived, he also set standards. But the players have changed. Some players wanted to change training times because they had to take their kids to school. Erik said no. He clashed with Ronaldo, Rashford was a minute and a half late to a meeting, and he simply closed the door and excluded him from the squad. Sancho was also sent away by him.

That's absolutely right, just like when Ferguson had tough battles and removed the "dead wood". But the problem is, Sir Alex Ferguson did this in an era when you might play 40 matches, while Erik is trying to do it in an era where you're judged much faster, with only 4 matches. You have no time to truly get to know the players.

Übersetzt von KI.