McClaren aiming for Dutch title with Twente

AMSTERDAM (AP)

Former England coach Steve McClaren says returning to the club he led to its first Dutch league title was an ''easy decision'' and he hopes to guide FC Twente to its second title this season.

McClaren spoke at Twente's stadium in Enschede on Friday after signing a 2 1/2-year contract to replace coach Co Adriaanse, who was fired this week.

McClaren said he ''had no hesitation'' in returning to Twente, despite the high expectations created by his first spell in charge.

''FC Twente are one of five teams who can win the title,'' McClaren said at a press conference. ''We want to do that every year and be in Europe, that's why I'm back.''

Twente is third in the Eredivisie, behind leader AZ Alkmaar and PSV Eindhoven and is still in contention in the Dutch cup and Europa League.

After winning the title in 2010, McClaren was lured to the Bundesliga by Wolfsburg, but he was fired after a poor start and then lasted only 10 matches before quitting his next coaching job, at Nottingham Forest.

McClaren expects to fit in quickly at Twente this time around.

''Last time it took me six months to adapt to the vision, the culture and the environment but once we'd set that I was OK,'' he said. ''I think it's still there and the vision carries on.''

McClaren signed his new contract shortly after the Twente squad left for the Spanish island of Gran Canaria for a training camp in the Dutch league's winter break. He will fly to join them on Saturday and his first competitive match is on Jan. 21 against RKC Waalwijk.

After serving as an assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, McClaren started his coaching career at Middlesbrough in 2001, winning the League Cup in 2004 and reaching the final of the UEFA Cup two years later when his team lost to Sevilla.

He became England coach in 2006 but lasted only 18 months before being fired after the team failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

Returning to the eastern Netherlands brings McClaren back to a club where he has almost exclusively happy memories.

''One of my best days here was with 80,000 fans in the car park, holding the (Dutch league) trophy,'' he said.