Dutch Football Betting: McClaren's Twente chase first title

European Leagues / Ben Lyttleton / 15 March 2010 / Leave a Comment

Steve McClaren is eyeing title glory with Twente

"If Twente hold on, McClaren will become the first English coach to win a major first-division title since Howard Wilkinson at Leeds United in 1992."

Few expected Steve McClaren to be a success in Holland and, after an impressive first season, even the ex-England boss was doubtful of his side's prospects this term. But FC Twente, through a combination of shrewd acquisitions and formidable team spirit, are now homing in on their first league title.

The match between Ajax and PSV Eindhoven is normally the most decisive in the Dutch league calendar. With both clubs trailing behind FC Twente in the race for the Eredivisie this season, Sunday's encounter in Amsterdam, won
4-1 by Ajax, was overshadowed by another impressive win from Steve McClaren's Twente, who are now five points clear at the top. Twente needed to come from behind to beat ADO Den Haag 3-1 on Friday night, but the victory keeps McClaren on course to improve from last season's second-place finish for what would be Twente's first title win since 1926.

When McClaren took over the side in 2008, they had just finished fourth in the league - 10 points behind winners PSV - but qualified for the Champions League after winning the play-off. McClaren was impressed with the squad he inherited and did something very rare for a new manager coming in: he hardly changed anything. "All I could do was not get in the way," he explained of his role. "Managing a team is like holding a pigeon in your hand. If you squeeze too hard, you kill it. If you loosen too much, it flies off."

Last season's near-success - they also finished runners-up in the Dutch Cup final, losing on penalties to Heerenveen - surprised McClaren and he expected a hangover from that this year. "I didn't think we could improve on last season," he said, bearing in mind the club had sold its best three players Eljero Elia (to Hamburg) Edson Braafheid (to Bayern Munich) and Marko Arnautovic (to Inter Milan). They did break their transfer record and spent €6m on Bryan Ruiz from Gent, while bringing in Miroslav Stoch on loan from Chelsea.

Both have been huge successes: Ruiz has scored 19 goals in 27 appearances this season, and bagged his first brace of the campaign against Den Haag, while Stoch scored eight goals in the first half of the season and is the perfect creator-in-chief for target-man Blaise N'Kufo (nine goals).

But the most impressive aspect of McClaren's team is their mental strength. They did not buckle following last season's disappointment, and when they were expected to fall away after Ajax beat them 3-0 for their first loss of the season in February, they responded by winning their next five games.

Next week comes their biggest test of all: a visit to Eindhoven and their closest challengers, and a reunion with Fred Rutten, the man that McClaren replaced in Enschede. Twente drew 1-1 with PSV when they met back in August - the only points Twente have dropped at home all season - and a similar result would certainly suit the Tukkers, who have come in to [1.68] for the title.

As for PSV, [3.4] to top the league, the wheels seem to have come off their campaign since losing to Hamburg in the Europa League: only one league win in four has left them in danger of falling behind Ajax, who are one point back. Martin Jol's side, six behind Twente, have won seven league games in a row, scoring 24 goals and conceding just one: they have the best run-in of the three sides, and are [2.5] to win the title. But the more likely outcome is that Twente hold on and if they do, McClaren will become the first English coach to win a major first-division title since Howard Wilkinson at Leeds United in 1992.