Steve McClaren is a household name within English football circles; his tenure with the English national side ensured his name would not be forgotten.

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His failure to take a team with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney to the European Championships in 2004 criminalised him in the press - and the ‘Wally with the Brolly’ was gone.

Fast forward exactly two years from the date of his dismissal and you arrive at November 21, 2009. FC Twente, his new charges, are about to take on (and beat) Vitesse in the Dutch Eredivisie, whereupon FC Twente remain at the top of the league.

This is McClaren’s second season with The Tukkers. In his first, he achieved runners-up spot in the league (Twente's best finish since 1973/74) and an appearance in the Dutch Cup final.

This year his team sit atop the league, unbeaten after 15 games. They have also moved easily into the last 16 of the domestic cup and are poised to progress through the group stages of the Europa League. A league title this year would be their very first.

Steve McClaren is back. Well, did he ever go anywhere?

His playing career was hardly illustrious but his coaching career was certainly a tale of hard work and natural talent.

After being introduced as “Steve McClaridge” by Martin Edwards upon his arrival at Manchester United in 1999, McClaren’s credentials grew until he was awarded the manager's job at Middlesbrough.

It is fair to say he remains one of the most successful managers Middlesbrough have had, reaching an assortment of cup semis and finals at home and abroad.

Not everyone would agree as many fans were indifferent about his departure, saying he had a boring style of play. Some went as far as to say the senior squad members carried the team throughout the successes of the period. A harsh analysis indeed.

The technical, slow build-up play upon which McClaren’s systems are based, seem to be flourishing yet again in the Netherlands.

FC Twente are not a simple task, not a sleeping giant as such, especially in a league that expects so much of the darlings Ajax or of PSV and Feyenoord.

McClaren is emulating the recent successes of AZ Alkmaar in a league that seems to be full or perennial under-achievers.  

 McClaren has been tested in the transfer market as well as on the pitch. A club such as FC Twente will find it hard to keep their best players and the recent summer saw Eljero Elia, Dutch Football Talent 2009, move to Hamburg for nearly £8 million.

Already this season, right-back Ronnie Stam has rejected a new contract, signalling his intent for a move away. However, McClaren has shown a market nous that keeps the squad fresh and talented.

A blend of loan signings (such as the excellent Miroslav Stoch of Chelsea) and shrewd transfers (Luuk de Jong on a free) has meant FC Twente can continue to compete at the top.

Big-money signing Bryan Ruiz (£4 million) has already netted 11 times, second only to the prolific Luis Suarez of Ajax.

FC Twente's Australian defender David Carney says of McClaren: "He’s the best manager I've played under by far - he knows the game inside out and tactically he's very clever...

''I played under a lot of English coaches and I've also had some Dutch ones, and I definitely think he's more Dutch than English.”

Who knows what the future holds for McClaren, or where it will be, but success and silverware will probably figure. His England stint will always linger over him but there is so much more to this manager than that.

As long as he doesn’t give any more dodgy Dutch interviews.....

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZnoP4sUV90)