Steve Round

Steve Round
Personal information
Full name Stephen John Round[1]
Date of birth (1970-11-09) 9 November 1970 (age 54)[1]
Place of birth Burton upon Trent,[1] England
Position(s) Full-back[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1995 Derby County 9 (0)
1995–1996 Nuneaton Borough
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephen John Round (born 9 November 1970) is an English professional football coach and former player. He was assistant first-team coach of Premier League club Arsenal until 6 July 2023.

After a brief playing career operating as a full-back, representing both Derby County and Nuneaton Borough, he went into coaching, serving in assistant coaching roles at Derby County, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Everton, Manchester United, Arsenal and the England national team, in which he has overseen several major trophy wins, in addition to a spell as director of football at Aston Villa.

Playing career

As a player, Round was a full-back with Derby County, before being forced to retire early through injury after only nine league appearances. He joined the club's coaching staff, and it was here that he first worked with Steve McClaren. When McClaren was appointed Middlesbrough manager in 2001, he appointed Round to his coaching staff.

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Round ventured in coaching, returning to Derby County in 1996 as part of Jim Smith's coaching staff, where he worked alongside Steve McClaren.[2] When McClaren became the manager of Middlesbrough in 2001, Round joined his backroom coaching staff, initially taking up responsibility for their reserves team,[3] before establishing himself as one of McClaren's assistant first team coaches. During their period at Middlesbrough, they oversaw the club win their first major trophy when they won the 2003–04 Football League Cup, beating Bolton Wanderers 2–0 at the Millennium Stadium,[4] in addition to reaching the 2005–06 UEFA Cup final, where they lost 4–0 to Sevilla.[5]

McClaren was named as the head coach of the England national team, leaving Middlesbrough shortly after the European final defeat.[6] Round again was appointed as part of his backroom staff, though opted to continue at Middlesbrough in a dual role under new manager and retiring club captain Gareth Southgate; however, he left the club on 15 December 2006, following a "difference in philosophy and ideas" with Southgate.[7] McClaren's spell in charge of England was ultimately short-lived and unsuccessful: he and his coaching staff were sacked in November 2007,[8] having failed to qualify for UEFA Euro 2008, the first time they missed this competition since UEFA Euro 1984 and their first failure to qualify for a tournament since 1993.[9]

On 1 July 2007, Round joined Newcastle United as a first team assistant coach under Sam Allardyce. Round was retained in his position after Allardyce was sacked in January 2008 with Kevin Keegan replacing him,[10][11] though departed the club to become the assistant coach to David Moyes at fellow Premier League side Everton in July 2008,[12] replacing Alan Irvine, who had left midway through the previous season. During Round's first season with the Merseyside-based club, they reached the FA Cup final, where they were defeated 2–1 by Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.[13]

Round as an assistant coach to Mikel Arteta (right) at Arsenal in 2022

Moyes was elected to replace long-serving manager Alex Ferguson at Manchester United ahead of the 2013–14 season, entering the league campaign as the reigning champions of England.[14] In May 2013, it was confirmed that Round would follow Moyes to United, again acting as his assistant manager,[15] with various members of Moyes' coaching staff also moving from Everton due to the Scotsman's desire to appoint his own coaching staff.[16] Despite winning the FA Community Shield, Moyes' tenure at United failed to last a full season, with poor results within the Premier League and League Cup justifying the dismissal of Moyes and his coaching staff, including Round, on 22 April 2014.[17]

Round was reunited with McClaren in January 2015, having not worked together in several years, as Round returned to Derby County to act as his assistant coach.[2] McClaren was dismissed at the end of the 2014–15 season after failing to gain promotion to the Premier League;[18]

On 1 September 2016, Round was appointed as the director of football at Aston Villa, who had recently been relegated from the Premier League the previous season.[19] Roberto Di Matteo was initially the club's manager upon Round's arrival, though he was dismissed in October after a poor start to the Championship season.[20] Steve Bruce replaced him and guided the club to the promotion play-off final the following league campaign, missing out on promotion to the Premier League by suffering a 1–0 defeat to Fulham.[21][22] Shortly after the club had been taken over by a new group of investors, Round left his position as director of football on 4 July 2018.[23]

On 24 December 2019, Round returned to the Premier League after being appointed as an assistant first team coach at Arsenal under newly appointed head coach Mikel Arteta, with assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg and goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña also joining the club.[24][25] During Arteta's first year in charge, Arsenal were able to win both the 2019–20 FA Cup and the 2020 FA Community Shield, in a period heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.[26][27] Round departed the club on good terms[28] in July 2023.[29][30]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Steve Round". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Sky Bet Championship: Steve Round to join Derby coaching staff". Sky Sports News. 5 January 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  3. ^ Bailey, Graeme. "BORO UNVEIL BACKROOM STAFF". Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Boro lift Carling Cup". BBC Sport. 29 February 2004. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  5. ^ "Middlesbrough 0–4 Sevilla". BBC Sport. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  6. ^ "McClaren named as England manager". BBC Sport. 4 May 2006. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
  7. ^ "Coach Round Leaves Middlesbrough". BBC Sport. 15 December 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  8. ^ "McClaren sacked as England coach". BBC Sport. 22 November 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  9. ^ Collett, Mike (22 November 2007). "England Euro hopes ended by Croatia". Reuters. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Allardyce reign ends at Newcastle". BBC Sport. 9 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
  11. ^ "Keegan returns as Newcastle boss". BBC Sport. 16 January 2008. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
  12. ^ "Round Signs". Archived from the original on 19 September 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  13. ^ Cheese, Caroline (30 May 2009). "Live text – FA Cup final". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 31 May 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
  14. ^ "Manchester United appoints new manager". Manchester United. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Premier League: Manchester United appoint Steve Round as assistant manager". Sky Sports.
  16. ^ "Mike Phelan and Eric Steele leave Manchester United coaching roles". Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  17. ^ "David Moyes: Manchester United manager sacked by club". BBC Sport. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  18. ^ "Steve McClaren: Derby County sack head coach". BBC Sport. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  19. ^ "Round appointed as Technical Director". Aston Villa FC. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  20. ^ "Club statement: Roberto Di Matteo". avfc.co.uk. Aston Villa F.C. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  21. ^ "Aston Villa: Steve Bruce appointed manager of Championship club". BBC Sport. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  22. ^ "Aston Villa 0–1 Fulham". BBC Sport. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  23. ^ "Villa director of football Round leaves". BBC Sport.
  24. ^ "Coaching team named". Arsenal F.C. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Steve Round to join Mikel Arteta's backroom staff at Arsenal". Sky Sports News. 22 December 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  26. ^ McNulty, Phil (1 August 2020). "Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  27. ^ Sanders, Emma (29 August 2020). "Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  28. ^ No Tippy Tappy Football (3 December 2024). Why Arteta is WORLD CLASS, Big Sam backs Amorim & Is Van Dijk The BEST Defender? | Steve Round. Retrieved 4 December 2024 – via YouTube.
  29. ^ de Roché, Art (6 July 2023). "Arsenal coach Steve Round leaves club". The Athletic. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  30. ^ Collings, Simon (6 July 2023). "Arsenal confirm exit of Mikel Arteta assistant Steve Round ahead of new season". Evening Standard. Retrieved 6 July 2023.