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Success for McClaren after going Dutch

McClaren, ridiculed by British media for standing on the touchline under an umbrella during England’s defeat to Croatia on a rainy night at Wembley which meant they failed to qualify for Euro 2008, accepted the job at Twente on the advice of managerial great Bobby Robson.

“I think that Bobby would have loved this for me,” McClaren told reporters of Robson who died of cancer last year.

“But it is a miracle that Twente won the title.”

“From the start of the season we were top or second and our opponents pressurised and chased us.

“Every week we had to win again. It is fantastic the players came through. That makes me very proud,” added McClaren whose side have earned themselves a place in the Champions League group stage.

McClaren has, in some ways, become successor to Robson, who had two spells in the Dutch league with PSV Eindhoven in the 1990s and was the last English coach to win a major European league title with Porto in 1996.

Robson was also the last English coach to qualify for the Champions League, with Newcastle United in 2002.

McClaren joined Twente in June 2008, seven months after his England reign had ended in humiliation.

In McClaren’s first season, the club finished second to AZ Alkmaar and lost the Dutch Cup final on penalties against Heerenveen.

He completed his road to redemption with Sunday’s 2-0 win against 10-man NAC Breda, a day before his 49^th birthday but was coy about his future.

“This is not the moment to talk about my future. Now it is time to enjoy and party and that is what I will do”, said McClaren, whose only previous silverware as a coach was the 2004 League Cup with Middlesbrough.

“Twente is a fantastic club and we will see what the future brings us more.”