Twente-one and out for McClaren

To make a wretched exit from the position regularly touted as ‘the biggest job in football’; to be derided as a tactical novice and dubbed the “wally with a brolly”; to be cast out of the reckoning as a Premier League-level manager. Such was the sorry lot of Steve McClaren in the grisly aftermath of England’s failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

All of this was undoubtedly a heavy burden to bear, but perhaps the accusation which rankled with the one-time assistant of Sir Alex Ferguson more than any other was that he was simply not cut out for the role of manager. A fine no.2, sure; a capable link between players and gaffer with unimpeachable coaching pedigree. But as the top man? McClaren had overstretched himself; once more proving, so we were told, the old footballing maxim that two-into-one doesn’t go.

In the two-and-a-bit years since his Wembley nadir, McClaren’s stock has recovered significantly though. Retreating to the relative safe-haven of the Dutch Eredivisie, echoing the path of fellow ex-England boss, the late Sir Bobby Robson, has certainly proved to be a wise decision.

Initial suspicion of his motives (were FC Twente merely a platform to impress watching Premier League chairmen?) and a fear that he would bring ‘English’ tactics (i.e. hard-running and mindless long-balls) eroded when, last season, McClaren led his new side to a second place finish. He had inherited a strong unit from Fred Rutten (who departed for an unhappy spell with Schalke, but now leads rivals PSV), but much of the acclaim was rightly reserved for McLaren.

Stevie Mac’s vertiginous ascent from the depths of despair to the widely-admired leader of De Tukkers has been further enhanced by the style in which they have opened the current campaign. Leading into last Sunday’s game with Ajax, Twente had won 17 and drawn four of their 21 league games: an unbeaten run illuminated by the kind of free-flowing attacking football (in a typically Dutch 4-3-3 formation) rarely associated with the previously prosaic McLaren.

That game, at the Amsterdam ArenA, again confirmed the Eredivisie as the go-to place for lightning-quick, technically adroit football – particularly in the opening half-hour. After Ajax’s prolific Marco Pantelić had a flick-header stopped by Twente’s 39-year-old Sander Boschker (later substituted through injury), Twente went on the front foot. Veteran Swiss striker Blaise N’Kufo ‘blaised’ over from close range; Ajax reject Kenneth Perez squandered an opportunity created by a masterful Brian Ruiz through-ball; then Perez headed over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

That opening salvo was as good as it would get for the visitors, as the combative Demy de Zeeuw – just booked for a cynical block on Twente’s Stoch – guided a 20-yard shot past the reach of Boschker and into the bottom corner. Perez’s critical failure to capitalise on the vision of Ruiz ceded the initiative to Martin Jol’s team, which started the game nine points adrift of their less illustrious opponents.

The electric impact of their Costa Rican import Ruiz – and Slovakian winger Miro Stoch (on loan from Chelsea) – has made coping with the loss of Eljero Elia, Marko Arnautović (on loan, but unused, at Inter), and Edson Braafheid (now on loan at Celtic from Bayern Munich) so much easier. This season’s Twente are a real league of nations: South Africa, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Azerbaijan, Australia, Serbia, among several others, are all represented in the diverse squad of the Enschede club.

A supremely gifted and versatile forward, Ruiz, has arguably been the pick of the bunch to date. Freshly arrived from Gent in the Jupiler League, Ruiz has adapted to life in the Netherlands seamlessly – scoring at a regular lick and adding a dash of elegance to Twente’s irrepressible three-man attack (alongside burly N’Kufo and tricky Stoch). Already the 24-year-old has spoken of his desire to move to Spain within the next two years, as he plans his ascent to footballing stardom. Few would bet against Ruiz realising his dream in the complimentary environs of La Liga.

Another young Latin American star proving his worth in the Eredivisie is Luis Suarez; Ajax captain. Regarded as something of an enfant terrible prior to being handed the skipper’s armband, Suarez has reached new heights this year with a healthy haul of 22 goals already. The Uruguayan’s wonderful curled shot on the cusp of half-time struck Twente’s post, falling to the feet of flying full-back Gregory van der Wiel. His shot was repelled by Boschker; then bundled into the net by the predatory Pantelić – the Serbian’s seventh in seven games.

McClaren stalked the touchline, bawling at the defensive ineptitude of his side, as the referee called a halt to the first period. Following the restart, Twente renewed their efforts to keep intact their unbeaten run; Theo Janssen’s hammered drive stinging the palms of the relatively untested Maarten Stekelenburg. However, the Amsterdammers – for whom the Belgian marauding centre-half Jan Vertonghen again starred – produced some intricate and occasionally incisive play which saw them close the game stronger; finally finishing Twente’s hopes when Pantelić teed up sub Dennis Rommedahl to fire past replacement ‘keeper Cees Paauwe in the 75^th minute.

There was even time for Jol to offer a debut to the highly-rated Uruguayan playmaker Nico Lodeiro; signed from Nacional in the January transfer window. One of the stars of the under-20 World Cup in Egypt last year, Lodeiro has all the potential to match, surpass even, the achievements of his countryman and captain, Luis Suárez. It was a comfortable first appearance in European football, as his new club secured a 3-0 win to draw within six points of their visitors and nine of leaders PSV. Fred Rutten’s side now hold the only unbeaten record in the league and their position as favourites to take the title looks stronger than ever.

In the end, it was an inglorious conclusion to a remarkable run for Twente – though recent performances indicated that defeat would arrive sooner rather than later. Much can be learnt about the character of a unit in defeat, however, and the extent to which McClaren can now rally his troops will not only be crucial for their title hopes, but also in protecting their English gaffer’s burgeoning reputation. Come the summer, the disheartening and laborious process of replacing his star players is likely to start all over again for that rarest of footballing breeds – the successful Englishman abroad.

Cull of the Coaches: Playing greats must learn their trade

Loved to loathed; revered to reviled; that’s so often the lot of playing star turned struggling boss. The list is long, and ever-growing, of successful footballers that fall short when it comes to applying their knowledge to management.

“This season, we have not been good enough,” admitted one recent ‘victim’ of this curse, Marco van Basten. His Ajax side had just conceded second place (and with it a Champions League place) to Steve McLaren’s FC Twente by virtue of a shocking 0-4 defeat to Sparta Rotterdam. That result followed hot on the heels of a thumping 2-6 reverse at the hands of old rivals PSV, who themselves have been rifling through managers like a tabloid hack through the dodgy expenses records of a cabinet Minister.

“Mentally and tactically, the team has shown to be lacking. Next season we should be a lot better,” was the former World Player of the Year’s brutal assessment of his squad. Within 48 hours, his bags were packed and the 44–year-old had departed the Amsterdam ArenA for the final time as head coach. “I am not able to fulfil the demands that Ajax have for a coach,” said van Basten.

Following his early exit from the game, aged just 30, van Basten took a lengthy sabbatical – committing himself to the golf course and, in 2002, publishing a thoughtful, innovative manifesto for the future of the beautiful game. The former Milan marksman suffered from spells of depression in the wake of his enforced retirement - due to knee injury - at an age when he would have been at his very peak, and it looked for all the world that one of the all-time greats would be lost to the professional game for good.

Ajax intervened, however; offering their favourite son a route back in with a role coaching the under-19 side of their famed academy. He was then a surprise appointment as national team coach. It was a position which Van Basten struggled to get to grips with and, despite the dynamic Dutch displays at Euro 2008, few were surprised at his resignation from that post. His tactics were often maligned, no less so when the Dutch were outmanoeuvred by their old master Guus Hiddink’s Russian revolution in the quarter-finals.

Back at his old club this season, van Basten fared little better. Expensive purchases such as Miralem Sulejmani and Darío Cvitanich backfired, while established stars Johnny Heitinga and Klaas Jan Huntelaar departed Amerstdam for opposite sides of Madrid. His continued exclusion of ‘keeper Maarten Stekelenburg in favour of playing inexperienced Kenneth Vermeer even prompted his successor as Oranje boss, Bert van Marwijk, to (unsuccessfully) call upon Edwin van der Sar to resurrect his international career once again. A UEFA Cup exit at the hands of Ligue 1 champions-elect Marseille was no disgrace, but recent results in the Eredivisie made Van Basten’s position untenable.

In the wake of Bayern Munich’s ruthless dismissal of Jürgen Klinsmann last month – and the Premier League failures of Roy Keane, Tony Adams and Paul Ince – the body of evidence grows ever stronger against the appointment of big-name stars, without sufficient experience, in high-profile managerial posts. It’s early days yet, but Alan Shearer’s motivational skills in the relegation dogfight have proved as stimulating as his yawnsome post-match analyses on Match of the Day. Even Frank Rijkaard, apparently heading the wanted lists of both Bayern and Ajax as a result of his initial success at Barça, flopped at Sparta Rotterdam in his first club-level appointment, and doubtless learned valuable lessons from his mistakes in the role.

There are exceptions, of course. Still wet behind the ears as a manager; Laurent Blanc is masterminding an exciting revival in Bordeaux’s fortunes. Roberto Mancini enjoyed near-instant success as Lazio, then Inter boss – though only after serving a valuable apprenticeship under Sven Goran Eriksson while at the former. Gianfranco Zola, with the invaluable assistance of Steve Clarke, has made a good early impression at the Boleyn ground. It’s true enough, too, that Pep Guardiola seems to have got a fairly decent handle on running things down in Catalonia.

Broadly speaking though, there’s no compensating for that most precious commodity – experience. It’s no coincidence that those in charge of the English ‘Big Four’ (Barcelona excepted, they are now Europe’s premier clubs too) are all 45-plus and have held posts previously at clubs diverse as St Mirren, Nagoya Grampus Eight, Extremadura, Nancy-Lorraine and De Graafschap. A little lower down the Premier League food chain, Martin O’Neill cut his teeth with Grantham Town, Wycombe, Norwich, then Leicester. David Moyes started out at Preston. Harry Redknapp career, as he never tires of recounting, began on the Bournemouth breadline.

While it’s crucial that potential managerial talent from within playing stars is nurtured and allowed to flourish, the unforgiving environs of the Premier League are not the ideal place to do so. Of the current crop of footballing talent, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville have been most explicit in their ambition to manage at the top level. If they have even a lick of sense between them they should heed the warning of Klinsi and Marco’s managerial misadventures and start out small. The transformation from player to gaffer is not a given – virtuosity with a ball does not necessarily translate to effortless tactical acumen and people-management. Even for those with the requisite aptitude, management is a skill to be fine-tuned and honed to perfection.

Picture this, if you will: 38-year-old Wayne Rooney up to his neck in paperwork as he desperately tries to sell his star striker on transfer deadline day to keep Tranmere Rovers out of administration; sedately-suited, sensibly-coiffed Djibril Cissé publicly censuring his captain for spending the build-up to the Blue Square Premier playoff final in a top Macclesfield hair salon; Didier Drogba out on a rain-lashed Torquay training pitch, helping his top scorer to perfect the dark art of the penalty area swan-dive. It could happen...couldn’t it?

UEFA Cup draw review....What lies ahead for Spurs, Villa, Pompey & City

Mighty Milan at Fratton, Ajax at Villa Park, and...well, PSG at Eastlands. OK, so the UEFA Cup may not have the immediate glamour and allure of its bigger brother, the Champions League, but yesterday’s group stage draw threw up an exciting array of fixtures to look forward to between now and the end of the year.

In what surely must be the strongest, toughest competition since the induction of the ill-conceived group stage, the UEFA Cup – in its final year before it’s clunkily rebranded as the UEFA Europa League – actually threatens to reclaim the attention of Europe’s football fans. Supporters of the Premier League clubs involved will also be relishing a series of Thursday night treats, despite the almost inevitable consequences (absence of Saturday 3pm kick-offs, slipping league form, etc).

It is possibly Aston Villa, who arrived at this stage via the midsummer slog of Intertoto qualification, that have landed the toughest task of the four English sides.

Group F features three former European Cup winners, including Martin O’Neill’s club. The Irishman’s clash with Marco Van Basten’s Ajax – so far inconsistent in the Eredivisie – should prove a stern test of both coaches’ attacking principles. The Amsterdammers arrive in Birmingham on October 23. Subsequent trips to Martin Jol’s impressive Hamburg and then Prague to face Slavia will mean that progression to the knockout rounds will be far from straightforward for the Villans, who also play host to Slovak club MŠK Žilina.

Likewise for European new boys Portsmouth. They’re an ageing side on the wane and the UEFA Cup is hardly a priority while they continue to struggle domestically; yet Milan’s visit on November 27 is already being eagerly anticipated, and the Italian giants will be welcomed to the South Coast in typically raucous fashion.

Ex-Bayern boss Felix Magath’s Wolfsburg feature the expensively procured Italian defensive duo Andrea Barzagli and Cristian Zaccardo, and will prove obdurate opponents. Heerenveen – despite selling most of their promising talent each year – are also no pushovers.

Harry Redknapp already knows well of the perils of a trip to Portugal, but Sporting Braga are in poor form and must be overcome if Pompey are to make the top three.

Floundering Tottenham probably need UEFA Cup participation like they need a kick in the Comollis, what with their current domestic travails, but still harbour the potential to make a mark on the competition. Their campaign kicks off in Udine, where they will find Pasquale Marino’s team in fine form and hardened by several recent European adventures. Udinese forwards Toto Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella can run ragged the best of defences, while Gokhan Inler is a midfield general much-desired across the continent (particularly by Arsene Wenger).

Fortunately, Spurs have drawn home ties against both Dinamo Zagreb, from whom they recently negotiated the purchase of Luka Modric, and Spartak Moscow; therein avoiding arduous trips to the formidable Maksimir and Luzhniki stadia. Spartak – former home of Spurs’ Roman Pavlyuchenko – have lately been left trailing in the wake of their numerous city rivals and, of course, the emergent Zenit St Petersburg. However, they’ll hope the appointment of ex-Getafe coach and Denmark legend Michael Laudrup will spur them onto greater things. NEC Nijmegen, of the Netherlands, have sold last season’s strike partnership and star defender Jonas Olsson to West Brom, so should be considered there for the taking.

It’s possible that the Abu Dhabi-based ownership of Manchester City may make the competition a priority this year – as a means of re-establishing their new club’s profile in Europe, with the Premier League title only a pipe dream until next season at least. First off, Steve McLaren will be bringing his FC Twente side (and his dodgy Dutch accent) to Eastlands on November 6. The Enschede club overcame Rennes in the first round proper, following their Champions League exit at the hands of Arsenal.

City must then visit Gelsenkirchen to take on Schalke – managed by ex-Twente boss Fred Rutten. The Ruhr team have plenty of recent European experience: departing only in the quarter-finals of the Champions League last year. They also boast the likes of Kevin Kuranyi and Jefferson Farfan among their attacking options.

PSG are only now beginning to regain their footing following years in the doldrums – a humiliating relegation scrap last season was the nadir (they qualified via a League Cup win). Paul Le Guen has managed to lure veterans Claude Makelele and Ludo Guily to aid the cause, but City should still be strong favourites for a win on home turf. Racing Santander – European debutants – shocked La Liga fans with last year’s 6^th place finish and have endured a tough start to the domestic season.

Each club, and many others, will surely be delighted to have swerved Group C – inevitably tagged the Group of Death. La Liga high-flyers Sevilla, 06/07 Bundesliga champions Stuttgart, Sampdoria (featuring the talents of Antonio Cassano), Everton’s skilful conquerors Standard Liège and Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade will battle it out for a place in the last 32.

Meanwhile, illustrious clubs such as Benfica, Valencia, Olympiakos, Galatasaray, Feyenoord and ‘07 UEFA Cup winners CSKA Moskow will each expect to progress to take a shot at the title post-Christmas.

It’s the final UEFA Cup as we know it. It may not be the most desired trophy in football, but it is important to recognise the competition’s distinguished history – and that the Champions League is not the only show in town.

Huntelaar’s 99 not out can’t quieten De Kuip

Week three of the Eredivisie season heralded the clash of old foes Feyenoord and Ajax; the former’s intimidating De Kuip stadium the venue for the 158^th running of der Klassieker since the rivalry was born in 1921.

Ajax, now under the tutelage of one of their favourite sons, Marco van Basten, travelled to Rotterdam as most bookies’ favourites for the Dutch title – this despite PSV’s four-year-long domestic dominance – and riding high on the back of a thumping 4-1 UEFA Cup victory at Serbia’s FK Borac during midweek. Meanwhile, their opponents had suffered a humbling 0-1home reverse at the hands of Swedish League leaders Kalmar.

Support for the Amsterdammers was severely restricted due to episodic crowd trouble in and outside of previous fixtures between the two clubs, but ‘the Legion’ – Feyenoord’s raucous following – were in fine voice in sun-kissed Rotterdam.

Feyenoord started without midfield star Jonathan de Guzmán, through injury, and their current lack of squad depth was exposed by a benchful of untried youngsters. Van Basten, on the other hand, felt confident enough to leave talented Argentine-Croat forward Darío Cvitanich on the bench, as cover for goal-machine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Dutch record (£13m) signing Miralem Sulejmani.

The home side enjoyed marginally the better of the tense, hard-fought opening exchanges, while Ajax had to re-adjust after losing Sulejmani to an early injury. Yet it was the visitors that took the lead, following a terrible howler by Feyenoord goalkeeper Henk Timmer.

The ex-AZ stopper badly fluffed an attempted clearance, with Ajax winger Jeffrey Sarpong taking full advantage to clinically fire in left-footed, from the edge of the area.

Just minutes later, Leonardo – Sulejmani’s replacement – pounced on a stray pass and raced clear of the Feyenoord defence. Timmer, clearly rattled by his earlier misdemeanour, raced from his goal; crudely hacking the Brazilian down just outside the box. Only the covering presence of Theo Lucius prevented referee Peter Vink from reaching for the red, and Timmer was justly booked.

With Ajax clearly in the ascendency, Thomas Vermaelen spurned a glorious opportunity to extend their advantage – heading straight at Timmer on the stroke of half time.

Head Coach Gertjan Verbeek’s words were doubtless still ringing in the ears of his players as they made a spirited start to the second period. Following hot on the heels of Roy Makaay’s wayward finish – when he really should have scored from close range – seasoned striker Jon Dahl Tomasson nodded in an equaliser when the ball looped up from the foot of unfortunate ‘keeper Maarten Stekelenberg.

The home crowd energised by the goal of a returning favourite; Feyenoord found themselves firmly on top, and favourites to claim their second win of the season. However, the tide was turned by the 69^th minute endeavours of Ajax’s tricky Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez.

Suárez used all his skill and dexterity to wriggle through Kevin Hofland’s meaty challenge and, inadvertently, tee-up the ball for penalty-box predator Huntelaar to sweep home his 99^th goal in an Ajax shirt.

The arrival of Van Basten as manager has apparently brought with it the requirement for the tall striker to diversify – adding improved team-play to his already formidable goalscoring repertoire (166 goals in 235 games to date). And Huntelaar could hardly have a finer exponent of the centre-forward’s art to learn from than his new boss.

Yet it was far too early for the artisans of Amsterdam to take for granted a victory over their bitter rivals from the industrious port city.

Perhaps more in hope than in expectation, Verbeek threw on veteran forward Michael Mols, now far past his peak, aged 37. Within ten minutes the ex-Rangers man had produced the desired effect.

As a hopeful ball from the left touchline looped into the box, Ajax full-back Urby Emanuelson inexplicably wrapped himself around Mols, bringing the diminutive striker to earth inside the area. Referee Vink – erratic throughout – pointed straight to the spot.

Tomasson stepped forward and confidently struck his penalty over into the net, to register his third success from the spot in three attempts this season and salvage a deserved point for his team.

The impact of either side’s failure to win was somewhat softened by PSV’s Saturday loss to Louis Van Gaal’s AZ, in Alkmaar, yet the smart money would still be on the team from Eindhoven making it five out of five next May.

The return Klassieker, at the Amsterdam ArenA next year, could still prove crucial in deciding the destiny of the title. Marco Van Basten will be aiming that, by that time, his ambitious footballing philosophy has been fully absorbed by his expensively-assembled side, and that they can live up to renewed expectations.