Steve McClaren heads for the Bundesliga

Former England head coach Steve McClaren has been appointed the new manager of German outfit VfL Wolfsburg, making him the first Englishman to manage a side in the Bundesliga.

McClaren makes the move after guiding the Dutch club FC Twente to their first ever Eredivisie title in the 2009/10 season, an achievement which has sent his stock through the roof after a disastrous stint in charge of the English national team. The 'wally with the brolly' has turned his career around admirably since failing to qualify for Euro 2008 and after a very impressive title win in Holland, things are looking brighter than ever for the Yorkshireman.

The Wolfsburg job might just be tailor-made for McClaren, and it's the ideal step up from Twente. He's clearly enjoyed his time in Europe and learned a lot, and I have a huge amount of respect for the way he's carried himself since leaving England. I think there's real value in players and managers plying their trade on foreign shores, and it always pleases me to see them do well. It's not so common these days, and I think Matt Derbyshire will grow as a player - and McClaren as a manager - from diving in feet first and learning about the culture, development and methods of the European game.

The telling thing here is that McClaren, despite the awful state of his reputation when he left, could probably have secured a job in the Premier League this summer. He's chosen not to do that, prefering instead to continue his educational journey through European football. In my eyes, Second Choice Steve is now fully redeemed and has unequivocably proven his worth.

He served his coaching apprenticeship under Denis Smith, Jim Smith and Alex Ferguson before joining the England set-up for the first time in 2000, while he was working under Ferguson at Manchester United. He stayed involved throughout much of his time at Middlesbrough, where he began his managerial career and did a job that looks, in hindsight, like rather a good one. I'd imagine most Middlesbrough supporters would bite your hand off if you offered them a UEFA Cup final, a League Cup victory, an FA Cup final and, most importantly, Premier League football.

Having returned to the England coaching staff to replace Brian Kidd, forced to stand down due to illness, McClaren was appointed by the Football Association to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson in time for the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. It was there that his reputation plummeted, and deservedly so. He axed David Beckham, presumably to make a political point, before eventually succumbing to the pressure placed on him to recall the former captain. Crucially, his England side failed to qualify for Euro 2008 from a particularly favourable qualification group. And in November 2007, as his team was defeated in the final game against Croatia, he stood in his technical area underneath an umbrella, a mistake he seemed unlikely to ever live down.

With Fabio Capello settling into McClaren's office, he didn't go into hiding or sink into lower league obscurity. He took the bull by the horns and followed in the footsteps of Roy Hodgson and the late Sir Bobby Robson in embarking upon a career in continental European football. FC Twente offered him a chance, and he headed to Holland with little fanfare and just got on with business. Two years later, his side pipped an excellent Ajax team to the championship and put McClaren firmly on the managerial map. I think staying abroad and moving to a different country is a wise move for him, and the Wolfsburg job could be the making of his career.

(Pic via BBC Sport)