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Steve McClaren new coach of FC Twente
Enschede
Tuesday 24 June 2008
Steve McClaren today signed a two-year-contract with
Dutch Eredivisie-club
FC Twente Enschede
.
The 47-year-old Englishman will succeed Edwin Rutten,
who left for Schalke 04 after two successful years.
Before McClaren spent five year as a manager at Middlesbrough.
In 2006 he succeeded Sven-Göran Eriksson as coach
of the English national team, but after failing to qualify
for Euro 2008 he had to leave.
"I have always had the ambition to work abroad
as a manager," McClaren explained.
"The moment Twente called I was very excited about
the opportunity straight away."
The next Twente coach sought the advise of Sir Bobby
Robson, former manager of PSV and England.
"He told me Twente was a great club and a great
opportunity to further develop as a coach."
McClaren's task will be a heavy one with inheritance
of what Fred Rutten achieved there in the past two years.
Last season Rutten and Twente qualified for the preliminaries
of the Champions League by beating Ajax in the play-offs.
"Fred Rutten has laid a wonderful foundation here,"
McClaren said.
Twente-chairman Joop Munsterman had a logical explanation
for their choice of McClaren: "We wanted a coach
who is used to working with top players, who has European
experience and who has worked with a football academy
. We gained advise with a number of people and Steve
McClaren seemed to fulfill all our conditions."
Among others Munsterman spoke to Jaap Stam and Boudewijn
Zenden.
"They were very positive, but assured me he would
not come. But look, here we are and we are very happy
about that."
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