The misfortunes of Steve McClaren require no real introduction.
The 56-year-old's significant achievements in football have long since been left in most fans' rear-view mirror; McClaren is now the funny ol' bloke who inexplicably spoke his vernacular in a Dutch accent while managing FC Twente (to their first ever Eredivisie title, no less), or who claimed on Sky Sports News that England were in fine fettle despite Iceland's equaliser during their Euro 2016 second round tie, not seconds before Kolbeinn Sigþórsson - whom McClaren had flagged as the dangerman - drove a dagger into the forlorn favourites.
For McClaren, it now seems his perceived failings outweigh his success. It was a topic he was willing to discuss on BBC Radio 5 Live this evening when explaining how he missed out on the Aston Villa job in 2011.
McClaren explained how he had gotten an interview for the post which would eventually be given to Alex McLeish, only for online backlash from fans to force the club to cancel at the last minute:
I think it was just after I came back from Holland, I was going for a job at Aston Villa. I think the supporters got wind of it, and tweeted, and got on whatever they call them - the boards [fan boards] or something. And there was a big protest about it.
And I was just about to take a train down to Aston Villa when I got a phonecall to say, 'Well there are too many messages that are anti-McClaren', and [I was told] 'Don't bother getting on the train'.
As you're in your own country, you are labelled. Once you get baggage, and more baggage and more baggage, you get labelled.
"Message boards cost me the #AVFC job"
Steve McClaren on how his 'baggage' from managing in Holland impacted on future opportunities. pic.twitter.com/coJgwyHz9k— BBC 5 live Sport (@5liveSport) May 9, 2017
McClaren was sacked from his second spell at Derby County back in March following a 3-0 defeat to eventual Championship runners-up Brighton.
