There are Twente good reasons why I should not have been England boss, reveals Holland-bound McClaren

McClaren was sacked as England manager in November after failing to make the Euro 2008 finals.

He had enjoyed a successful career until then as No.2 to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United before managing Middlesbrough for five years until 2006.

How things were: Steve McClaren takes cover from the rain as England crash out of the Euro 2008 Championships

However, having succeeded Sven Goran Eriksson as England chief, McClaren struggled and his fate was sealed after Croatia's 3-2 win at Wembley helped Russia qualify for this summer's European Championships at his expense.

Since then McClaren has been doing media work but has been offered a job in Holland by their chairman Joop Munsterman - despite his own fans opposing the move.

Munsterman claimed McClaren has confessed becoming England boss was a mistake and said: "Looking back he should never have become national team coach, he says now.

"He was too young for that task. But he was the national team coach. How many
people can say that?

"He knows how to handle pressure and he is not afraid to take measures. He
threw David Beckham out of the squad. Well, then you have guts.

"We talked with Rafael Benitez, Boudewijn Zenden, we went to Chelsea: everyone
was positive about the way McClaren works.

"Jaap Stam found him a fantastic coach, but he added: 'You don't have to call
him, he will never join FC Twente'.

"Am I able to call Frank Rijkaard to become coach of FC Twente? Yes, I am, but
we are on another track."

Munsterman dismissed the Dutch perception of McClaren as a typical English
kick-and-rush coach, adding: "Quite to the contrary. You cannot say that Manchester United played lousy football, can you?

"He reformed the youth academy of Middlesbrough and formed a successful team
with young players.

"In the UEFA Cup he was better than the AZ team of Louis van Gaal. McClaren is
a man of football, who thinks continental and he does everything with the ball."

Despite his enthusiasm for the former Middlesbrough manager, Munsterman admits
he has other options should McClaren turn him down.

"We have shown him around and he was impressed," he said.

"He now wants to think about it and after that we will have contact again. But McClaren is not our only candidate. We have more, also foreigners."

Munsterman has met McClaren to show him around the club's Grolsch Veste stadium and is waiting for a response from the Englishman.

He said: "We want a coach who is accustomed to working with top players."

Munsterman admits most fans of the Enschede club are sceptical about a coach
who failed to guide England through qualification for Euro 2008.

He added: "Ninety percent thinks: why McClaren?

"But believe me, if he becomes our coach we will have a coach who is
accustomed to working with top players and he can recognise them."

McClaren has so far refused to confirm he is in the running for the post said: "I'm wanting to get back into the game. I'm ready now, I'm fresh, recovered.

"I feel as if I've still got a lot to prove and a lot to give to football. Whether that be in this country or abroad we'll have to wait and see."