Steve Round

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Steve Round

| image =

| caption =

| full_name = Stephen John Round{{Hugman|17177|access-date=28 December 2024}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1970|11|9}}

| birth_place = Burton upon Trent, England

| height =

| position = Full-back

| currentclub = Derby County (assistant coach)

| youthclubs1 =

| youthyears1 =

| clubs1 = Derby County

| clubs2 = Nuneaton Borough

| years1 = 1990–1995

| years2 = 1995–1996

| caps1 = 9

| caps2 =

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 =

}}

Stephen John Round (born 9 November 1970) is an English professional football coach and former player. He is currently a part-time assistant first-team coach at Derby County. 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11696/9633365/round-to-join-rams-backroom-staff|title=Sky Bet Championship: Steve Round to join Derby coaching staff|date=5 January 2015|access-date=2 April 2023|publisher=Sky Sports News}} When McClaren became the manager of Middlesbrough in 2001, Round joined his backroom coaching staff, initially taking up responsibility for their reserves team,{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/2213007/boro-unveil-backroom-staff|title=BORO UNVEIL BACKROOM STAFF|last=Bailey|first=Graeme|access-date=2 April 2023}} 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,{{cite news|title=Boro lift Carling Cup|website=BBC Sport|date=29 February 2004|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/3507795.stm|access-date=18 August 2008}} in addition to reaching the 2005–06 UEFA Cup final, where they lost 4–0 to Sevilla.{{cite news|title=Middlesbrough 0–4 Sevilla|website=BBC Sport|date=10 May 2006|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4751467.stm|access-date=18 August 2008}}

McClaren was named as the head coach of the England national team, leaving Middlesbrough shortly after the European final defeat.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4969592.stm |title=McClaren named as England manager |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=24 December 2007 |date=4 May 2006| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070830142337/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4969592.stm| archive-date=30 August 2007| url-status= live}} 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.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/6182315.stm |title=Coach Round Leaves Middlesbrough |access-date=2008-05-11 |date=15 December 2006 |publisher=BBC Sport}} McClaren's spell in charge of England was ultimately short-lived and unsuccessful: he and his coaching staff were sacked in November 2007,{{cite news |title=McClaren sacked as England coach |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7100393.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=22 November 2007 |access-date=19 January 2010 }} 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.{{cite news |last=Collett |first=Mike |date=22 November 2007 |title=England Euro hopes ended by Croatia |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-euro-england-sbar-idUKL2050521120071122 |access-date=16 October 2022}}

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,{{cite news |title=Allardyce reign ends at Newcastle |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7179847.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=9 January 2008|access-date=9 January 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080112103913/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7179847.stm| archive-date=12 January 2008| url-status= live}}{{cite news |title=Keegan returns as Newcastle boss |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7192457.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=16 January 2008|access-date=16 January 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080118191248/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7192457.stm| archive-date= 18 January 2008| url-status= live}} though departed the club to become the assistant coach to David Moyes at fellow Premier League side Everton in July 2008,{{Cite web |url=http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/round-signs.html |title=Round Signs |access-date=4 October 2008 |archive-date=19 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919200223/http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/round-signs.html |url-status=dead }} 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.{{cite news |first=Caroline |last=Cheese |title=Live text – FA Cup final |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/8075105.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=30 May 2009 |access-date=30 May 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090531012146/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/8075105.stm| archive-date= 31 May 2009 | url-status= live}}

File:Arsenal v Everton - 52223142689.jpg (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.{{cite news |title=Manchester United appoints new manager |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2013/May/manchester-united-appoints-new-manager-david-moyes.aspx |publisher=Manchester United |date=9 May 2013 |access-date=9 May 2013 }} In May 2013, it was confirmed that Round would follow Moyes to United, again acting as his assistant manager,{{cite news| url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11671/8800419/Premier-League-Manchester-United-appoint-Steve-Round-as-assistant-manager | title=Premier League: Manchester United appoint Steve Round as assistant manager | publisher=Sky Sports}} with various members of Moyes' coaching staff also moving from Everton due to the Scotsman's desire to appoint his own coaching staff.{{cite web|title=Mike Phelan and Eric Steele leave Manchester United coaching roles|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/8732852/mike-phelan-and-eric-steele-leave-manchester-united-coaching-roles|publisher=Sky Sports|access-date=9 August 2014}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27107795 |title=David Moyes: Manchester United manager sacked by club |access-date=2017-04-10 |date=2014-04-22 |publisher=BBC Sport}}

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. McClaren was dismissed at the end of the 2014–15 season after failing to gain promotion to the Premier League;{{cite news |title=Steve McClaren: Derby County sack head coach |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32878657 |website=BBC Sport |date=25 May 2015 |access-date=10 June 2015}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2016/09/01/round-appointed|title=Round appointed as Technical Director|date=1 September 2016|publisher=Aston Villa FC|access-date=1 September 2016}} 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.{{cite web|title=Club statement: Roberto Di Matteo|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2016/10/03/club-statement-roberto-di-matteo|website=avfc.co.uk|publisher=Aston Villa F.C.|access-date=3 October 2016|date=3 October 2016}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37610020 |title=Aston Villa: Steve Bruce appointed manager of Championship club |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 October 2016 |access-date=12 October 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44178427 |title=Aston Villa 0–1 Fulham |publisher=BBC Sport |date=26 May 2018 |access-date=28 May 2018}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44712110|title=Villa director of football Round leaves|publisher=BBC Sport}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/coaching-team-named |title=Coaching team named |date=24 December 2019 |website=Arsenal F.C. |access-date=12 October 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11891989/steve-round-to-join-mikel-artetas-backroom-staff-at-arsenal|title=Steve Round to join Mikel Arteta's backroom staff at Arsenal|date=22 December 2019|access-date=3 April 2023|publisher=Sky Sports News}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53546100 |title=Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea |first=Phil |last=McNulty |publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 August 2020 |access-date=1 August 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53871874|title=Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool |first=Emma |last=Sanders |publisher=BBC Sport |date=29 August 2020 |access-date=30 August 2020}} Round departed the club on good terms{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzf0MneVNII |title=Why Arteta is WORLD CLASS, Big Sam backs Amorim & Is Van Dijk The BEST Defender? {{!}} Steve Round |date=2024-12-03 |last=No Tippy Tappy Football |access-date=2024-12-04 |via=YouTube}} in July 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4670813/2023/07/06/arsenal-steve-round/ |title=Arsenal coach Steve Round leaves club |last=de Roché |first=Art |date=6 July 2023 |website=The Athletic |access-date=6 July 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-fc-steve-round-arteta-b1092736.html |title=Arsenal confirm exit of Mikel Arteta assistant Steve Round ahead of new season |last=Collings |first=Simon |date=6 July 2023 |website=Evening Standard |access-date=6 July 2023}}

On 19 February 2025, Round returned to Derby County as a first-team assistant under new Derby head coach John Eustace on a part-time basis.{{cite web |url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/john-eustace-moving-recruit-new-9959637 |title=Derby County issue statement as John Eustace adds two coaches |last=Dick |first=Brian |date=19 February 2025 |website=Derby Telegraph |access-date=19 February 2025}}