STEVE McCLAREN will today name his England squad to play Spain — reeling from a stinging attack on his managerial skills.

His former Middlesbrough striker Massimo Maccarone says he finds it hard to believe the FA could have appointed a man with such “limited abilities” as their national manager.

The Italian was disgusted by the way ex-Boro chief McClaren treated him while on Teesside.

Maccarone, capped twice, never really lived up to expectations after joining the club in a record £8.15million deal in the summer of 2002.

He scored just 24 goals in 4½ years at the Riverside before moving to Siena on a free this week.

Maccarone said: “I was absolutely shocked and totally disgusted by the way he treated me.

“Only in England could such a man with such obvious and limited abilities be made into the national coach.

“The ever-smiling Steve ‘Magnificent’ McClaren is without doubt the most two-faced and false person I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet in football.

“He should first spend his time actually trying to understand his own players’ mentality instead of wasting so much time trying to understand the British Press.”

McClaren went so far as to visit the House of Commons last week to watch Tony Blair in action during Prime Minister’s Question Time.

He wanted tips on how to handle the media spotlight after he was rocked by tough questioning in the run-up to England’s friendly against Holland in November.

Maccarone’s blast now ensures McClaren will be using every pointer he picked up ahead of Wednesday’s Old Trafford clash with Spain.

McClaren’s problems with Maccarone date back to Boro’s Carling Cup final win over Bolton at the Millennium Stadium in February 2004.

Maccarone was left devastated by McClaren’s broken promises.

The Italian said: “In the month before the Carling Cup final, he told me repeatedly that I was being rested and not playing games so I was ready for my starting role in the final.

“He told me, as he constantly told everyone, that I was his No 1 and that he was counting on me.

“But I played zero minutes in the final. When it was over, all McClaren could say was, ‘I know, I know’.

“Perhaps this is the English mentality and the English way but I don’t see how this approach will bring out the very best in players.”

Maccarone started only 55 matches during his Middlesbrough career and says he grew tired of trying to get answers.

And he felt his situation did not improve much after club captain Gareth Southgate took over from McClaren in the summer.

The former Empoli star, 27, feels he has been treated like an “idiot” by the two managers he has played under in England.

He said: “I have lost count of the times I have knocked on the manager’s door seeking explanations as to why I wasn’t playing.

“After the first few times you soon understand they say exactly the same thing to everyone.

“Going to see these managers is just a complete and utter waste of time. Perhaps they think players are idiots and so this is the way to treat them.

“Here, when you are not in the squad for games you are often sent to train with the reserves. This is unprofessional, it shows a total lack of respect and it decimates team morale.

“How these managers can do this and then walk into that dressing room in times of need, look players in the eye and have the guts to ask them to play for them and expect them to do so is beyond me.

“The very minimum I expect is that people talk straight and honestly to my face, like men about my situation.

“Also that they are interested in helping me and that I am given a chance at some point by a manager who keeps to his word.”

Maccarone says he felt betrayed by Southgate after he was never given the chance promised in the summer. He also believes the training sessions he went through at Boro were from another era.

He added: “During the McClaren years, Southgate came to me endlessly, disguised as my friend, to give me support and encouragement.

“He would slate McClaren’s treatment of me at every single opportunity.

“When he became the new manager I was ready and excited by the fresh start that he had promised me but he conducted himself exactly as McClaren had done.

“I felt utterly betrayed by Southgate as he was the one who convinced me to stay then promised me a run of five or six games which he never gave me. The training facilities are good but the training methodology, the mentality and the way of working are at least 25 years out of date.

“The club is stuck in an old school way of thinking and working where no attempt is made to look and learn from what the rest of the world is doing.”

Maccarone’s agent Paolo Fabbri was not surprised by his client’s amazing outburst.

He said: “Massimo did not say these things on my say-so — he is a grown adult and it’s his choice.

“It did not surprise me because I knew there were things he was not happy about from his time at Middlesbrough.”

 

Exceot when given the chance, Macarone actually did something.

Were you watching "The Bill" the night of the Palermo and Celta games ?
Always wondered who it was that the smoggies were singing about.

Has he ? I wouldn't know I've never seen it, but nice to know you managed to pull yourself away from The Bill to watch it.
Was it any good - the showreel I mean - not The Bill.

I would like to begin by thanking the Boro fans for the amazing support they gave me throughout my time at the club. I would also like to say thank you to Steve Gibson, the very best chairman in the Premiership. It is because of the way I feel about these people that I am speaking out, as they obviously have no idea about what goes on behind the scenes at the club.

I am the first to admit that I did not perform as I wanted but there are many reasons as to why I did not produce my best football under Steve McClaren. When I came to Middlesbrough I was put in a hotel and I was left there for about a month. All I had for company were three Italian DVDs. No attempt was made whatsoever to integrate me into the community.

I soon realised that training was not what I was used to in Italy and so I began to lose my fitness and physical strength. When I asked for extra training I was told that it wasn’t needed. Eventually I was shown around the gym and then told to get on with whatever it was I wanted to do on my own.

The ever-smiling Steve “Magnificent” McClaren is without doubt the most two-faced and false person that I have ever had the misfortune to meet in football, who should first spend his time actually trying to understand his own players’ mentality instead of wasting so much time trying to understand the English press.

I was absolutely shocked and totally disgusted by the way he treated me. Only in England could such a man with such obvious and limited abilities be made national coach.

During the McClaren years [Gareth] Southgate came to me as my friend to give me support and encouragement, slating McClaren’s treatment of me at every single opportunity. When he became the new manager I was excited by the fresh start he promised, but he conducted himself exactly as McClaren had done. I felt utterly betrayed.

When you do not give a player what you publicly state he will get, you allow your players to question your integrity, your honesty, and you allow them to question how they will be able to trust you when they find themselves in the same position as I was, listening to worthless and empty promises. Perhaps they think that players are idiots and so this is the best way to treat them.

In England, when you are not in the squad for games, you are often sent to train with the reserves. This is unprofessional, it shows a total lack of respect and it decimates team morale.

Facilities are good but the training methodology, mentality, and the way of working is at least 25 years out of date. Too many people at the club just go through the motions doing what they did last week, last month and last year, and so on. In Europe when it is very cold and you are on the bench they give you blankets and hot water bottles to keep you warm. In England they give you nothing as they think that you are Rocky Balboa and that this is the best way to toughen you up.

There is a distinct lack of strong management from the management team who are entirely void of the courage and guts needed to express themselves to your face. I don’t expect to play every game or to play when I am not playing well. But the very minimum I do expect is that people talk straight and honestly to my face like men about my situation.

Foreign players are often criticised for playing for the money and not having pride in wearing the shirt. I came here to play. I never came here just for the money like a mercenary.

This club is too stuck in the past in a purely blinkered mentality. Revolution and not evolution is what is required. This club must employ the best people for the job in terms of management team and coaches. Experience is not enough, especially when it comes from only one vision, one mentality, and one way of doing things, namely the English one.