Following his first day at Soho Square, we bring you a selection of the thoughts from those involved in football on their impressions of Steve McClaren becoming England Head Coach.

Chelsea & England midfielder Frank Lampard said: "Steve is a very good coach, when he speaks he makes sense straight away. It is a great thing when you work under someone like that because you always feel like you are working.

"What we are looking for is the best manager for the job - not just for myself, but for the good of the team.

"He has a massive input on the training ground and in the dressing room where, if something needs to be said, he will say it."

Newcastle and England forward Michael Owen said: "Right from when he was at Derby County to Manchester United, everyone spoke highly of him. Even in the first few sessions at England, you realised he was a fantastic coach.

"There are plenty of good coaches about but sometimes they do not go on to become top managers. He is an exception to that. He has been with the national team for a few years and that helps. He knows the ropes of international football.

"It does seem a natural step. He has come through the ranks from being a coach to being a manager and now an international manager. It is nice the continuity is kept."

The League Manager's Association Chairman Howard Wilkinson said: "I am delighted with the appointment and it was important to get an Englishman in place.

"He has got a lot of experience from Oxford, Derby, Manchester United and then into management with Middlesbrough.

"He is at a tremendous advantage after working with the senior national team over a period of time with the World Cup being his third tournament.

Middlesbrough and England winger Stewart Downing said: "His main strength is he's a good coach as well as a manager. There are not many out there who are both."

Tottenham and England striker Jermain Defoe: "Steve McClaren is a top man. I like him. We used to play two-touch in training and he's got an unbelievable touch.He's a great coach. Always smiling, making it different and he's top man.

"I think he's the right man because he's been with us, has a relationship with us and all of the boys are behind him.It's good we already know him."

Brian Horton, who first employed Steve as a coach at Oxford, also paid tribute: "He always had a chance of being a successful coach, he was organised and one of the people who helped run the players’ bar at Oxford," Horton told TheFA.com.

"When I left the club to be Manchester City manager, I took my coach David Moss with me and I nearly took Steve as well. It’s lucky he didn’t join me. Instead he met Jim Smith and the rest is history as they say.

"He’s seen both sides of football, you need a lot of patience to be a youth team coach and when he was at Manchester United he said one of the main jobs dealing with big names was keeping them happy.

"I am sure that has held Steve in good stead."