Ex-England manager set for surprise Rotherham United talks | OneFootball

He has been out of work since November.

It has been a disastrous season for Rotherham United, but it appears they are already building towards a brighter future after the latest reports.

Having bounced between League One and the Championship for over a decade, the Millers are set to play in the fourth tier of English football for the first time in 13 years.

Former Sunderland and Newcastle United midfielder Lee Clark was drafted in as a short-term manager in mid-March in a bid to save Rotherham's standing, but he has only picked up five points, which is far from enough.

There has been significant speculation around whether the 53-year-old will continue in charge next season, but now there has been some groundbreaking news regarding a former England manager that could influence any potential decision.

Steve McClaren in talks for Rotherham United position

Since the infamous 'Wally with the Brolly' incident with England, Steve McClaren's managerial career has taken some bizarre twists and turns that have taken him around the world.

From his role as Darlington's assistant manager to Maccabi Tel Aviv's advisor to Jamaica's manager, you would be forgiven for thinking that the 64-year-old had been pointing at a globe with a blindfold wrapped around his head when picking his next venture.

However, it seems that the former Derby County manager is now set to return to familiar shores with a move to the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

That is because McClaren was due to hold talks with chairman Tony Stewart yesterday, 28 April, about the prospect of taking up a role at Rotherham United, according to the Rotherham Advertiser.

The publication reports that any title that the former Jamaica boss would have would be above the level of manager, meaning he could have input on Clark's future at the club, with the temporary boss awaiting news.

Indeed, McClaren and Stewart have been friends for some time, and the former, who was in attendance for their clash with Barnsley earlier this month, has wanted to be involved with the Millers previously.

What role could McClaren take up at Rotherham?

McClaren has already held several behind-the-scenes roles at various clubs and therefore has the experience to come and make an impact in South Yorkshire.

Having already managed at Derby, the 64-year-old returned to Pride Park in 2020 as a technical director, having held the same role at Maccabi Tel Aviv, before moving to an advisory position a year later.

Within these positions, he shaped the club's football strategy by streamlining the philosophy between the first team and the youth setup, while he also worked with scouts and executives to identify transfer targets.

As a former manager, he also assisted then-gaffer Phillip Cocu and his coaching staff, providing advice based on his experiences.

While McClaren did not have the authority to make direct decisions during his time with the Rams, he was working closely with the people who did, meaning that he would have been involved in discussions regarding manager performance and possible recruitment.

In terms of a prospective move to Rotherham, it must be stressed that at this point, there have only been reports of talks and that nothing concrete has emerged as of yet.

However, given that the Millers are slipping to their lowest point in over a decade, they would be wise to take a different approach, and it does not come much more experienced than McClaren.