In 2007 Steve McClaren’s stock was high. Eight years earlier he had assisted in Manchester United’s historic treble before taking Middlesbrough to a League Cup win in 2004 and then onto the brink of European glory, only falling at the final hurdle against Sevilla in the UEFA Cup final; but his reputation would come crashing down to earth on a wet Wednesday night at Wembley along with the hopes of a nation.
England’s task on November 21 was a simple one. A draw or better against Slavan Bilic’s Croatia side, who had all but secured top spot in the group and certain progression, would see them travel to Poland and Ukraine for the following summer’s finals.
How it came down to such a simple equation was something of a miracle as England’s road to qualification thus far had been a rocky one. Routine wins over Andorra and Macedonia had made qualification look like a formality but a costly draw in the return against Macedonia and a defeat away to Croatia and just a point in Israel meant that alarm bells began to ring.
A brief spell of fine form seemed to have steadied the ship as England put three past Israel, Russia and Estonia but a damaging defeat away in Moscow meant the writing was on the wall, though they were handed an incredible lifeline when Russia was beaten in Israel in the penultimate round of fixtures.
So the mathematics were quite clear, just a point at home against a team who had nothing to fight for on a wild and wet night would see England sneak through against all the odds, but their start was as miserable as the weather and they faced an uphill task from the outset.
Croatia were gifted an early lead when England ‘keeper Scott Carson, on his competitive debut, allowed Niko Kranjcar's long-range effort to slip through his hands and his blunder would set the tone for a disastrous first half.
After 14 minutes the visitors made it 2-0 after Eduardo da Silva’s through ball left England's entire backline looking like statues as Ivica Olic rounded Carson and tapped the ball into the empty net.
England fought back in the second half thanks to substitutes David Beckham and Jermain Defoe, with the latter winning a penalty in the 56th minute that was converted by Frank Lampard before Beckham crossed for Crouch to hammer the ball home in the 65th minute for what everyone thought was the all-important equaliser.
But as England fans were starting to make their plans for trips to Krakow, Warsaw and Kiev the unthinkable happened when Mladen Petric fired a shot past Carson from distance with just over ten minutes remaining.
England’s dreams had been shattered in the most dramatic fashion and elimination from a major tournament was now confirmed. But it wasn’t necessarily Scott Carson's monumental error or the lack of firepower from England’s front line that made the headlines, it was the fact that Steve McClaren stood on the sidelines under a red and blue brolly.
Not surprisingly the tabloids were ruthless.
“The umbrella Steve McClaren hid under last night might have protected him from the rain, but nothing else. Not the shower of abuse that descended from an angry Wembley crowd. Not the verdict that will rate him as the worst England coach in history,” wrote Martin Samuel in The Daily Mail.
“Outclassed, outfought and outthought, England are out of Euro 2008 and Steve McClaren will surely be out of work after the FA board meet this morning, deservedly so,” were Henry Winter’s words in The Telegraph.
Meanwhile, Kevin McCarra in the Guardian wrote: “Steve McClaren's reign was brief but the ghastliness of it will stay with him forever.”
Steve McClaren would eventually resurrect his managerial career, plying his trade in the Netherlands as he set about rebuilding his shattered reputation by taking FC Twente to the Eredivisie title for the first time in over 80 years, before returning to England via Germany to take on a number of vacancies in the English second tier.
But that dreadful night in the wet at Wembley, when England blew a gilt-edged opportunity to qualify for the 2008 European Championships in the most calamitous way, along with their manager’s decision to employ the services of a humble umbrella, has meant that for many, McClaren will forever be known as the Wally with the brolly.
