The fresh ideas Steve McClaren ha shown on the training field for over a decade have ended with him being named as the next England manager. Chief Football Writer Paul Fraser talked to a player who has experienced those techniques, Marco Gabbiadini.

WHEN Brian Kidd vacated his assistant manager's post at Manchester United in 1998, Sir Alex Ferguson turned to the young coach whose innovate ideas were being talked about across the country.

Steve McClaren's name may not have been discussed extensively during his days as a player but he had found a new passion on the training field - exploring ways of bringing the best out of people.

When he does take over from Sven Goran Eriksson officially on August 1 there will be no great surprises to the England squad. They will already have experienced at first hand how much enthusiasm he has for coaching.

Middlesbrough's players have witnessed it over the past five years and the European Cup-winning stars at Old Trafford experienced it before that.

But it was before joining Ferguson at United that McClaren really made his name. During years at Oxford he was promoted from youth team to reserve-team coach, then afforded the responsibility of taking first-team training by manager Denis Smith.

Such was the rapid rise of his reputation, Jim Smith took him to Derby as his No 2 in 1995 and his first season at Pride Park ended in promotion to the Premiership by finishing second.

One of Derby's leading lights that season, Marco Gabbiadini, recalls just how much of an impact McClaren had. Bringing ideas to the table that were unheard of and often laughed about at the time, now they are part and parcel of the professional game.

One of the key parts to his technique was the introduction of video analysis to training, something he has continued to use.

At Middlesbrough he has sworn by the computer-based Pro Zone, which examines every pass and move any player makes.

"He used to go into major detail on every player by using the Opta Index, which was becoming big at the time," said Gabbiadini.

"Things have moved on since then but at the time that was a major thing.

"He was into the new technologies, he wanted to try them all and he seemed to be full of new ideas.

"The players enjoyed it, it was something different and we still did plenty with the ball.

"But perhaps one of the biggest things that sticks out in my mind about the days I worked with him was how he had us running at speed cameras.

"Nowadays players would just accept that as a given but ten years ago, if you wanted to use that sort of equipment, you would have to go to Lilleshall.

"Steve was the man behind ensuring we didn't have to travel anywhere to use that sort of thing. We had it brought into training and it was good. Everyone really appreciated it. It was a bit different but still good to do."

In today's game there is a never-ending supply of energy drinks on the sidelines for players to use, ensuring there is no danger of dehydration.

The water bottle McClaren would throw to the floor at least once during every Boro game highlights that.

There would be preparation chambers and well-organised warm-downs to ensure players suffered no adverse reactions, more approaches to training that were introduced by McClaren.

"It's only little things that you remember because I have done quite a lot since, but one of those that does actually stick in my mind was during pre-season," said Gabbiadini.

"It was at a time when the only thing you would drink after a match would be a pint in the players' bar.

"What Steve made sure of was that whenever we went on a pre-season run there would be an endless supply of water ready for us to drink. That was before Lucozade Sport and the like was introduced but water did the job.

"He just thought the big thing to help get the best out of players was refueling. People had just started to realise that was the case and Steve was into all of that.

"Drinks and diets were important parts of his plan."

One influential, behind-the-scenes part of McClaren's rise to the top is the psychologist who has been by his side since his Derby days, Bill Beswick.

McClaren convinced Derby boss Jim Smith to employ Beswick in a part-time capacity. He then appointed him as his assistant at the Riverside Stadium when he took over in the summer of 2001.

Any major decisions the Boro boss makes tends to go through his guru and, in true psychology speak, he always tries to accentuate three positives after highlighting a negative.

Now McClaren has been handed the England reins, Beswick's role is likely to come under the spotlight, as it is not too dissimilar to the way Glenn Hoddle controversially turned to faith-healer Eileen Drury when he needed advice.

Gabbiadini experienced what life was like working with Beswick and feels confident his emergence into the international set up will not be detrimental to England's performances.

"Bill would only come in a couple of times and act as an advisor to us," said the 38-year-old, formerly of Sunderland, Darlington and Hartlepool.

"Some of the lads were understandably sceptical, some would not get involved in it.

"But players have to understand some people need those sort of people around them.

"It's unusual but it's obviously something Steve swears by and it's worked for him, he's obviously going to want to continue.

"If it means Steve looks more positively at things than other managers might then that is a fantastic way to be."

Gabbiadini went to the same secondary school in York, Nunthorpe, which has now merged with another school to create Millthorpe Comprehensive, as the newly-appointed England boss

With seven years between them, though, they had very little to do with one another during their younger days, although Gabbiadini did play football with McClaren's younger brother, Tony.

Nevertheless, as they hail from the same city, Gabbiadini has heard how approachable he is and feels his fellow Yorkshireman has the ability to lead England to World Cup glory.

"I would like to think Steve will be the manager of the third England team to win the World Cup," he said.

"Hopefully Sven will win it this summer and Steve four years later. It's certainly a possibility.

"It's fantastic for the region that Steve has got the job and it would be even better if he helped England to success.. He deserved to get the England job and the path his career has taken suggests he would do that."

The rest of the country agrees.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.