Boss wants more Cup glory for Boro

MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren is demanding his players grasp the opportunity to cover themselves in more cup glory.

After their historic comeback against Basle last Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, Boro now have another opportunity to clinch a place in the last four of the FA Cup.

Charlton stand in McClaren's way tonight in a quarter-final replay at the Riverside Stadium following a goalless draw at The Valley last month.

Not even Sunday's derby defeat to Newcastle has managed to deflate the focus of McClaren and his players as they look to lift two pieces of silverware to ensure this season is one to be remembered.

Remarkably, the game will be Boro's 22nd cup tie of the season, yet McClaren believes they can continue their march on two fronts, with a return to Europe their goal.

"Twenty-second cup tie. Remarkable," said a disbelieving McClaren. "But it's one of our biggest because the FA Cup provides us with two games to get back into Europe, and that's the target. We have to make every effort to get through.

"We're still on course to do that. We've still two difficult games if we are going to achieve it, but we've momentum, confidence and belief, and we have to take that into the game.

"The players know what's at stake, so you have to trust them. It's down to them now. They either let it go or grasp it, and I hope they grasp it."

They did that against Basle when they trailed 3-0 on aggregate midway through the first half of the second leg, only to produce a memorable fightback to win 4-3 overall.

McClaren is looking for a repeat, maybe not in terms of anxiety, but in the way his players eventually put the Swiss side to the sword.

"We have to give the kind of performance we gave last Thursday," said McClaren.

"We reached the quarter-final of the Carling Cup earlier this season and we didn't take that opportunity.

"We've now another quarter-final coming up and the players have to take this one.

"We're in one semi-final and hopefully we can get through to the final in that. Now there's another big prize at stake tomorrow.

"This is a big competition and there would be nothing better than to finish the season by going to Cardiff again."

The winners face West Ham in one semi-final, with the big guns of Chelsea and Liverpool paired in the other.

With both of those sides virtually guaranteed Champions League football next season, it means that if either Boro, Charlton or West Ham end up losing finalists, they will be in the UEFA Cup.

Boro will also play a third straight season in the competition if they win the UEFA Cup, providing the FA nominate them to defend the trophy, as would certainly be the case.

McClaren, aware the club have "a massive few weeks ahead", added: "My job here is to bring success to Middlesbrough Football Club, and to do that we have to win a trophy."