I think this is a definite step forward.
McClaren has a well-deserved reputation as good coach and I welcome having someone of his ability working with our first team. Over recent years, his record has been a bit more mixed but I think that's football: there's very few coaches who will have found themselves in a variety of situations - different chairmen, different quality players, different budgets - and been consistently successful. We have often brought in players who have done well at their previous clubs and then succumbed to the "QPR effect" (Perch, Cousins and Bidwell spring to mind), failing to reproduce their past levels of performance at our club. I think McClaren could reverse the "QPR effect" and actually improve players. Given our crop of emerging youngsters, this is what we need!
In contrast to Ollie, I look forward now to hearing someone speak intelligently about football, demonstrate consistent and credible team selections, play some attractive football.... and win a few away matches.
Good luck, Steve, you have my full support.