How the Wally with the Brolly is making the biggest comeback since Sinatra in Holland

By David Anderson in Mirror Football Blog

Published 23:00 18/03/10

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Steve McClaren is happy to follow Sir Bobby Robson's route redemption.

Like Robson, McClaren headed to Holland when he flopped as England boss.

And like Robson, he is in no hurry to return home to these shores.

Robson's exile lasted nine years and he had successful spells at PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona before returning as the prodigal son to a hero's welcome at St James' Park in 1999.

McClaren, 48, is approaching the second anniversary of his self-banishment in June and with FC Twente on the verge of making history by winning their first Dutch title, he could be away for a few more years.

He signed a contract extension at Twente earlier this season until 2011 and says he has developed a taste for foreign football.

Despite sounding like Mike Myers' Goldmember, Dutch football likes him too. He may have been damned as the wally with the brolly in England, but in Holland, he is the big cheese.

"It's great to experience a different way of life, a different culture and language and have to adapt to all that," he said.

"I''m very happy here. English football is great and the Premier League is a great league with all the passion of the fans and the world-class players on show.

"I've signed a contract here until the end of next season and I'm really enjoying my time here. Who knows what will happen next? My next job might also be abroad." 

It's not hard to see why McClaren is so content at Twente and the unfashionable club, based in the city of Enschede, are enjoying the best days of their 45-year history.

After finishing as runners-up in the Eredivisie last season and the Dutch Cup, they are well placed under McClaren to land their first-ever title.

Twente are five points clear at the top with seven games remaining and have won their last five in a row.

They are untouchable at home and last weekend's 3-1 win over Den Haag was their 13th successive victory at their 24,000-capacity De Grolsch Veste stadium.

McClaren faces second-placed PSV in a potential title decider at the Philips stadium tomorrow and he has employed some of the mind games of his old gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson to take the pressure off his players.

McClaren wasn't impressed when one of Twente's sponsors released a 1970s club song this week entitled "One day we will be champions" and he has virtually banned any talk of winning the title.

"PSV are the favourites because their players are more experienced at playing in decisive games at the end of a season," he said.

"They have won championships, but our players have not experienced that. For us, everything is new."  

McClaren has tried to shield his squad from the spotlight by taking them away on a training camp for the first three days of this week, which caused a few raised eyebrows in Holland.

He said: "It's quite common in England to take the players away for a day or two before games and I just wanted the team to spend more time together.

"The main thing is for us not to worry about PSV or anyone else. We just have to win our own matches. That should be our goal over these last seven weeks.

"Nothing has been decided yet and there will be some twists and turns over the rest of the season. We've just got to keep focused and keep doing our jobs like we have been doing."  

If they do, McClaren will have taken a big step in his Three Lions rehabilitation.  

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