England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce believes former senior supremo Steve McClaren, currently riding high in the Dutch Eredivisie with FC Twente, will one day be back coaching in his homeland.

Pearce, whose youngsters take on Portugal in a UEFA European U-21 Championship qualifier at Wembley on Saturday 14 November, recently visited McClaren in the Netherlands and believes the 48-year-old former Middlesbrough manager has plenty to offer the English game.

"I am sure some time in the future he will come back to English football, but it is not like suggesting he has disappeared off the face of the earth or fallen down a black hole. He hasn't," said Pearce. "I spoke to Steve briefly at Sir Bobby Robson's memorial, about the tactical side of the game in the Netherlands. I found what he said very interesting."

"I felt it was important to go and see an English coach working abroad, how he was finding it tactically. I watched a couple of their matches, and then watched some of the youngsters. It was fantastically beneficial," continued the 47-year-old ex-Nottingham Forest legend.

"Steve is a very good coach, he always has been and is enjoying his time there, which is good to see. His experience in the Netherlands will enlighten him as a coach. Twente are riding high in the Dutch league at the moment, so they are obviously doing something right."

Pearce intends to learn all he can to add to the experiences already gained through spells in charge at Forest and, from 2005 to 2007, with Manchester City.

"You have to be open minded," said the iconic former England left-back. "This year I have been to Bayern Munich, I have been to the Netherlands and I am planning to go to Italy. You have to travel and experience different cultures of football to educate yourself."

"In the Netherlands, everybody knows their academy systems and the kids are educated extremely well. So doing the job I am doing, it is important to see that."