Steve Round has confirmed that he has turned down Steve McClaren's invitation to be part of his coaching team at Newcastle United.
Magpies head coach McClaren is assembling his backroom staff, with former Derby County colleagues Paul Simpson and Eric Steele reportedly ready to team up with him again at St James' Park.
Round was Sam Allardyce's assistant at Newcastle in 2007 before working under David Moyes at Everton and Manchester United. However, the 44-year-old has said that he is looking to make his first foray into management at the moment.
"We spoke a couple of days ago, and he asked if I'd be interested, but he also knows it's not what I want to do next. I want to be a head coach or a manager," Round told Sky Sports News.
"That's no disrespect to Newcastle. I worked there for a year with Big Sam and Kevin Keegan, and it's a magnificent club with great supporters, but at the moment I don't think I'll be joining them.
"To be a head coach or manager is my number one target. If that doesn't happen in the coming months I'll have to drop back to being a number two or coach, and I've got no problems with that."
Round joined McClaren's coaching team at Derby on a part-time basis earlier this year.
Steven Toplis
