Steve McClaren Guides FC Twente To First Eredivisie Title, Wolfsburg Next?

By Ollie Irish

Schteeeve McClaren – “I will schelebrate my succschess with a big fat schmoke”

McClaren’s FC Twente won the Eredivisie this weekend, for the first time in its history, pipping Ajax by a point. It’s a remarkable rehabilitation for the much-mocked Englishman, whose career was in tatters when England failed to qualify for Euro 2008. The poisonous British media turned him into a laughing stock – at the time, I’m sure I joined in – like so many other ex-national bosses (Hoddle, Turnip Taylor, Sven etc.).

I couldn’t be happier for Schteeve – so few English players and managers have the balls to test themselves abroad (this narrow-mindedness infuriates me – I’m also convinced it contributes to our failures on the international stage), but McClaren did and it has paid off for him in spades. Respect.

“Winning a title in a foreign country with foreign players and coaches feels very special,” McClaren said after Twente beat NAC Breda 2-0 on Sunday to clinch the title.

McClaren’s stock has never been higher. He has been tipped for a move to Germany, as the permanent replacement for Wolfsburg interim boss Lorenz-Gunther Kostner. As much as Twente fans will want him to stay, I hope he does end up in the Bundesliga – I can’t wait to hear his cod German accent.

And yes, he still has a trace of that krazy Dutch accent:

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4 Comments

  1. Squelch says:

    That accent is stuff of legends. Love it.

  2. I hope that McLaren carries on in Europe and maybe eventually ends up winning something at a big club over the next few years.

    I know I will probably get slaughtered for writing this, but if he ever got the chance again in say, another 4 or 5 years, he would probably be a good England manager.

    I always got the impression that Bobby Robson would have been better if he managed England after his spells abroad, and McLaren could possibly be the same.

    Unless he wins La Liga with Barca or Real Madrid though, the English media would never allow it.

    For those McLaren haters at MUFC, I would perhaps be a bit worried. I’m sure Fergie will play a big part in naming his successor, and he rated McLaren enough to give him his chance at Old Trafford.

    And the accent in that clip was class.

  3. Lox says:

    “And yes, he still has a trace of that krazy Dutch accent”

    As far as I know he hasn’t even tried speaking a single word of Dutch during his 2 years at FC Twente, but ok… maybe I’m just not getting the joke.

    Anyway, great achievement by a great coach. (and this comes from an Ajax fan so that means something :p)

  4. […] McClaren is the new manager of Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. So long Twente – he left them on a high (too much time in Dutch coffee shops […]

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