STEVE McCLAREN will finally be confirmed as Newcastle’s new head coach later today, with Steve Round being lined up for a prominent role in his new backroom team.

Former Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark is also being considered for a coaching position, with McClaren determined to have his new set-up in place well ahead of the start of pre-season training.

McClaren flew back into England from a family holiday in Crete yesterday evening, a matter of hours after Newcastle officials dismissed John Carver and Steve Stone from their roles on the coaching team.

Carver has paid the price for a disastrous spell in charge in the second half of last season that saw Newcastle win three of the 19 games played under his interim control following the departure of Alan Pardew.

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The former assistant signed an eight-year contract in September 2012, but Mike Ashley has reached an agreement over the final five years of his deal rather than retain him as part of McClaren’s backroom unit.

Stone, who was first-team coach under Pardew, has also been dismissed, having worked closely with Carver in the final stages of last season.

The pair’s departure reflects a willingness to allow McClaren to fashion his own backroom set-up, and Round will be the former England and Middlesbrough manager’s recommendation for a key role alongside him.

Round has worked at St James’ Park before as he was appointed as Sam Allardyce’s right-hand man in 2007 before leaving Tyneside a year later to join David Moyes at Everton.

However, the highly-rated coach is better known for his relationship with McClaren, which began when he joined Derby’s backroom team after his playing career was curtailed through injury.

He followed McClaren to Middlesbrough, where he was regarded as an influential figure in the club’s domestic and European successes, and also took up a position on England’s coaching team after McClaren took charge of the national side in 2006.

The pair’s most recent association came when Round joined Derby as a part-time coach in January, and McClaren is understood to have made the 44-year-old’s appointment at Newcastle a key part of his discussions with managing director Lee Charnley in the last couple of weeks.

The rest of McClaren’s backroom set-up is still to fall into place, although Eric Steele and Paul Barron are likely to be considered for the role of goalkeeping coach, with sports psychologists Bill Beswick and Steve Black also in contention for a consultancy position.

Clark’s possible return in a coaching capacity is also currently being debated, with the former Magpies midfielder out of work following his departure from Blackpool at the end of last season.

The status of current goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman is still to be confirmed, although with Alan Pardew keen to take the Londoner to Crystal Palace, Ashley will be reluctant to pay up another contract when there is a chance of a compensation payment further down the line.

Pardew, who is lining up an audacious attempt to take former Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye to Palace, has worked with Woodman at West Ham, Charlton and Newcastle, and would like to have one of his closest associates alongside him again at Selhurst Park before the start of next season.

McClaren’s new-look Newcastle will begin their preparations for the new campaign when they travel to neighbours Gateshead for their opening pre-season fixture on July 10, and by that stage, the club will hope to have completed some of their summer transfer business.

McClaren will hold a series of discussions with managing director Lee Charnley and chief scout Graham Carr in the next 48 hours to identify the club’s leading targets, with a new centre-forward the number one priority.

The 54-year-old’s arrival has divided Newcastle supporters, with some fans welcoming the appointment of an experienced coach with a track record for winning trophies while others use his more recent struggles at Nottingham Forest and Derby to question the extent of his ability.

Gareth Southgate succeeded McClaren as manager of Middlesbrough, and the England Under-21 boss is adamant Newcastle are appointing a hugely talented figure.

“I think he has done a terrific job at Derby,” said Southgate. “They’ve played some very good football over the past two seasons.

“Things seem to have gone on behind the scenes, and there has been a change there. I think he is very undervalued in this country in terms of the way he is perceived.

“He’s got great experience from his time with Manchester United, England and Middlesbrough, as well as abroad. I think he is a really good appointment for Newcastle.”