MATT LAWTON'S EURO BLOG: England's 'wally with the brolly' on impressive form in Vienna

It was one of those potentially awkward moments outside this great little bar that was designed by the architect, Adolf Loos. A moment when a former England coach suddenly encounters journalists he has not seen since they battered him for taking shelter beneath an umbrella while his team self-destructed in the Wembley rain.

The 'wally with the brolly' was how this newspaper so brilliantly, and yet so brutally, described him and I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised, or offended, if McClaren had avoided shaking my hand.

Media job: Former England bossSteve McClaren is all smiles ahead of working as a pundit at the Austria-Croatia match

As it was, the man was charm personified, greeting everyone with the same warm embrace and engaging in a bit of light conversation before disappearing into the night with his new colleagues from the BBC.

If he has been scarred by his experience as England coach, he is concealing it well. He actually reminded me of the Steve McClaren I had seen so many times at Middlesbrough and at Manchester United prior to that.

He was never shy in expressing his ambition. No sooner had he arrived at Old Trafford than he was talking about succeeding Fergie before then going on to manage England. But it was hard not to like the guy when he talked about football with such enthusiasm.

Increasingly, I'm of the view that England simply arrived too soon for McClaren. He was horribly over-promoted, so much so that he did not have enough confidence in himself to simply be himself. He over-complicated the job, and not just in the way he dealt with the media. He became self-obsessed, and that was a problem, but more crucially he made the mistake of thinking he had to deliver grand statements to make an impact.

All he needed to do was win football matches. But he tried to reinvent himself while favouring revolution ahead of evolution. As Fabio Capello has proved, omitting David Beckham from his squad for as long as McClaren did was a huge mistake. Even though, at the time, I applauded him for dropping the former England captain.  

Viennese whirl: Croatian fans lap up the atmosphere in Austria

I can't say he's been terribly bright in agreeing to work as a member of the BBC's commentary team. But I admire him for having the nerve to walk into the Ernst Happel Stadium last night.

That said, his presence also reminded me that every cloud does indeed have a silver lining. Had England qualified, we would now be looking ahead to the next World Cup with McClaren as manager. As it is, McClaren has gone and Capello is in charge. At least we now have a decent chance of succeeding in South Africa.

The weekend in Vienna was hugely enjoyable.

How long the Austrians maintain their interest in the tournament probably depends on how long their team remain involved. But Vienna was buzzing with anticipation as supporters from rival countries congregated on Saturday in the FanZone area - complete with giant screens and dodgy Austrian rock bands performing live on stage - that covers a huge section of the city centre.

Game on: the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna before kick off

The Austrians have organised things brilliantly, right down to the public toilet facilities. This is no Glastonbury with its mile long queues and all-too familiar stench. The loos (no relation to Adolf) here are all chrome and Ikea and spotlessly clean.

The only complaint among visiting fans would be how pricey it is in Vienna.

Do & Co, a restaurant that offers terrific food as well as a wonderful view of the Stephansdom, must hold the record for the world's most expensive Doner Kebab.

I'm not a fan of Doner Kebabs - I think I once had one in Cardiff the night before an FA Cup Final - but at 22 Euros I just had to give it a go. Well, at 22 Euros you get some very tender slices of meat, a bit of salad, three dips but no pitta bread. Not impressed.     

The other thing to note is how many bars and clubs can be found in basements. Can't think why but I had no desire to go into any of them.