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Steve McClaren's comedy Dutch accent gets thicker ahead of FC Twente v Arsenal Champions League clash
He may have been a flop as England manager, but Steve McClaren is proving he is a dab hand at learning a foreign language - or at least the accent.
The wally with the brolly, chastised in England for failing to successfully guide his country through Euro 2008 qualification, moved to the continent in the summer to take the reigns at Dutch first division side FC Twente.
And in recent weeks the ginger one has become a cult figure on the internet for his bizarre interviews for Dutch TV.
In them, McClaren has adopted a comedy Dutch accent more likely to emanate from the mouth of a Frank Rijkaard or Martin Johl than a man from Hull.
Several of the videos have been posted onto YouTube and appear to show Stevo's European brogue growing thicker by the week - and they have got internet chat rooms and football forums across the world wide web buzzing.
In the first video to appear on YouTube, McClaren was talking after his side were drawn against Arsenal in the Champions' League qualifying round.
"I came here because big team and they qualify Champions League," said the former Middlesbrough boss, not only sporting the new accent but also missing out words in a pigeon-English style.
See the video here
And within weeks, when interviewed ahead of the first leg of the tie, the former Middlesbrough boss had begun to pronounce 's' as the clashic Dutch 'sh' .
"Maybe you get the luck, the referee's decision, but you never know," he said.
"We need to go in relaxed, with alsho belief that we can win these gamesh."
See it here
FC Twente face Arsenal at the Emirates tonight in the tie's second leg. Will Steve be back to his old Yorkshire self for English TV, or is the new accent here to stay?
Watch more videos of McClaren practising his Dutch here and here
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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