But seven days after Graham Taylor withdrew from the race to fill Bramall Lane's most high-profile vacancy, the former Middlesbrough chief also appears to have joined his England predecessor in distancing himself from the opportunity to oversee the club's domestic and global operations.

Despite seeing his standing among supporters damaged by the national team's inability to qualify for this summer's European Championships, McClaren, whose contract at Soho Square was terminated as a direct result of that failure in November, still commands considerable respect within the game itself and had been mentioned as a possible contender.

Taylor cited personal reasons for declining United's invitation to join their staff but McClaren's appear to be professional.

Despite initially indicating that he would be keen to explore the possibility of a move to Bramall Lane, the 47-year-old has revealed that he would prefer his next job to be at the highest level.

"I've been getting around the grassroots game at all levels," McClaren said during a seminar in Birmingham recently. "But I've been fortunate to have worked at the top, with Manchester United and Middlesbrough in the Premier League and with England at international level, so I've worked with the best players in the world.

"I want to get back to that level because I enjoyed that. That's my aim."

Having narrowly failed to qualify for the Championship play-offs, United are unable to tempt McClaren with the prospect of Premiership football next season but, should they decide to add him to a list of candidates which also includes John Barnwell, they do boast the "vision" and "ambition" he will demand from future employers.

"I'm still ambitious...that's what I'd want from my next club's owner," he added.

However, McClaren's desire to maintain a close proximity to the training pitch represents a potential stumbling block with manager Kevin Blackwell, who enjoyed huge success following his February appointment, believed to have received an undertaking from the board of directors that he will retain complete authority over first team affairs should they press ahead with their overhaul of the club's infrastructure.

Hence Barnwell's emergence.

A former chief executive of the League Managers' Association, he made a handful of appearances for United during a playing career which also included spells at Arsenal and Nottingham Forest before taking charge of Peterborough, Wolves, Notts County, Walsall and Northampton.

With United keen to fully exploit their partnerships and investments abroad, Barnwell also has experience of working in Greece and Saudi Arabia.

However, McCabe has pledged not to hire anyone unless he is satisfied they are "definitely the right person for the job."

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