McClaren: Derby County yesterday fired head coach Steve McClaren “with immediate effect” after the team finished eighth in the second tier this season. The decision followed “a thorough review of the 2014-15 season” by the club’s board of directors. McClaren, 54, who has been strongly linked with the managerial vacancy at Newcastle, led Derby to the Championship playoff final in 2014.

Austin: QPR head coach Chris Ramsey accepts Charlie Austin will want to stay in the Premier League, even though he says the relegated Londoners will make “every effort” to keep him. Austin scored 18th league goal last season. “I would imagine anybody who has scored those goals would not be looking elsewhere other than to be playing in the Premier League,” Ramsey said. “He’ll want to play higher but we’ll make every effort to keep him.”

Stuttgart: Alexander Zorniger has been appointed Stuttgart coach for next season, replacing Huub Stevens who left despite keeping the former champions in the Bundesliga for the second consecutive year. A former assistant coach at Stuttgart, the 47-year-old Zorniger, who signed a three-year contract, will make his Bundesliga debut after coaching second-tier Leipzig until February. Stuttgart needed a 2-1 win over Paderborn on the final match of the season to remain in the top division.

Ciftci: Nadir Ciftci could face a Scottish FA inquiry after Dundee midfielder Jim McAlister appeared to accuse the Dundee United striker of biting him. McAlister can be heard claiming Ciftci bit him on a video posted on the Scottish Professional Football League’s official YouTube channel. The incident occurred towards the end of United’s 3-0 Scottish Premiership win over their neighbours at Tannadice on Sunday.

Clough sacked: Sheffield United have sacked Nigel Clough after the club missed out on League One promotion. The Blades, who reached the semi-finals of the League Cup, were beaten in the play-off semi-finals by Swindon and have been condemned to a fifth year in the third tier.