Former England coach Steve McClaren gets new chance at Netherlands' FC Twente
The Associated Press
Friday, June 20, 2008
ENSCHEDE, Netherlands: Seven months after being fired by England, Steve McClaren was given the chance Friday to rescue his tarnished reputation by coaching FC Twente in the Netherlands.
The 47-year-old McClaren is looking to the Eredivisie to banish memories of his troubled 18 months in charge of England, which ended last November with failure to qualify for the European Championship.
"It is great to be back in club management and doing a job that I love," McClaren said. "It is a challenge that I relish."
He will be quickly tested on the European stage again, with Twente in August's third qualifying round of the Champions League, where it could face Arsenal or Liverpool in the final step before the lucrative group stage.
"I cannot wait to get started working," McClaren said Friday. "It will be a huge challenge for me to work in the Dutch league and in the Champions League with FC Twente, but I am excited by the prospect and believe we are feeling positive for the campaign ahead.
"My message to the club's fans, supporters I have heard so much about already, is a simple one: we will do everything in our power to take the club forward."
McClaren was encouraged to take the job by Bobby Robson, who took England to the World Cup semfinals in 1990 and had two spells in charge of PSV Eindhoven.
"Bobby Robson, no less, has already told me that I will love this great challenge in Holland, and that FC Twente is a fine club, a friendly club, and I will thoroughly enjoy my stay here," McClaren said.
McClaren wasn't England's first choice to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2006, but had impressed during five years at Middlesbrough. He won the League Cup in 2004 and reached the UEFA Cup final in 2006 in Eindhoven, but was beaten by Sevilla.
Before that he served as Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United, including the 1999 season where it won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
He was fired by England after the rain-soaked 3-2 home loss to Croatia in the final round of Euro 2008 qualifying, with McClaren attracting widespread ridicule for sheltering under an umbrella, and no Premier League club was willing to test their fans' resolve by appointing him.
Twente's previous coach, Fred Rutten, left to lead German club Schalke.
Club chairman Joop Munsterman said Twente "searched for a replacement for Fred Rutten for a long time.
"We had a good mutual good feeling with McClaren. At first, his arrival didn't seem possible. But we did come to an accord in the end."
The Associated Press
Friday, June 20, 2008
ENSCHEDE, Netherlands: Seven months after being fired by England, Steve McClaren was given the chance Friday to rescue his tarnished reputation by coaching FC Twente in the Netherlands.
The 47-year-old McClaren is looking to the Eredivisie to banish memories of his troubled 18 months in charge of England, which ended last November with failure to qualify for the European Championship.
"It is great to be back in club management and doing a job that I love," McClaren said. "It is a challenge that I relish."
He will be quickly tested on the European stage again, with Twente in August's third qualifying round of the Champions League, where it could face Arsenal or Liverpool in the final step before the lucrative group stage.
"I cannot wait to get started working," McClaren said Friday. "It will be a huge challenge for me to work in the Dutch league and in the Champions League with FC Twente, but I am excited by the prospect and believe we are feeling positive for the campaign ahead.
"My message to the club's fans, supporters I have heard so much about already, is a simple one: we will do everything in our power to take the club forward."
McClaren was encouraged to take the job by Bobby Robson, who took England to the World Cup semfinals in 1990 and had two spells in charge of PSV Eindhoven.
"Bobby Robson, no less, has already told me that I will love this great challenge in Holland, and that FC Twente is a fine club, a friendly club, and I will thoroughly enjoy my stay here," McClaren said.
McClaren wasn't England's first choice to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2006, but had impressed during five years at Middlesbrough. He won the League Cup in 2004 and reached the UEFA Cup final in 2006 in Eindhoven, but was beaten by Sevilla.
Before that he served as Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United, including the 1999 season where it won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
He was fired by England after the rain-soaked 3-2 home loss to Croatia in the final round of Euro 2008 qualifying, with McClaren attracting widespread ridicule for sheltering under an umbrella, and no Premier League club was willing to test their fans' resolve by appointing him.
Twente's previous coach, Fred Rutten, left to lead German club Schalke.
Club chairman Joop Munsterman said Twente "searched for a replacement for Fred Rutten for a long time.
"We had a good mutual good feeling with McClaren. At first, his arrival didn't seem possible. But we did come to an accord in the end."
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