McClaren upbeat about England’s chances
The Middlesbrough manager will once again assist Sven-Goran Eriksson at next month's Euro 2004 finals after being asked to step into the gap left by Brian Kidd's cancer scare.
McClaren was part of the coaching team which steered England to the World Cup quarter-finals in Japan and Korea two years ago and he is confident the 23-man squad, which will fly out to Sardinia on Sunday to begin its preparations in earnest, has what it takes to succeed.
"The whole England squad going into this tournament, we're in far better shape than we were going into Japan," he said.
"Number one, we've got five players in this squad that didn't go to Japan Gary Neville, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney and you'd say that they're players who will play a major part. They're big players, so that's an advantage.
"Injury-wise, we're going into this tournament far better. Before Japan, we had the likes of David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Kieron Dyer, Robbie Fowler, Gary Neville and Steven Gerrard missing.
"This time, the big advantage is that everybody touch wood is fit for the start.
"Preparation is always important. David Beckham, the first day's training he had was two days before the Sweden game, and he'd been out for a while. It's a definite advantage David Beckham being fit. That's one of the biggest pluses.
"The third area where it's better is the form of the players. The form of the likes of Steven Gerrard has been immense, the form of Frank Lampard, John Terry, players who have had an experience of European football and success this year.
"Michael Owen is back and scoring goals, so I think the team is in far better health and form than it was going into Japan."
McClaren has barely had time to draw breath since the end of a domestic season which saw him guide Boro to their first major trophy the Carling Cup and into Europe for the first time in the club's history.
A planned family holiday to Barbados has had to be put on ice because of his England commitments.
However, he did not have to think twice when Eriksson's turned to him. "For me, it always has been and always will be an honour to work for your country," he said.
"It's an honour for me, but it's an honour, I think, for the football club.
"The biggest thing for me is I enjoy working at that level, I enjoy working with Sven, the staff and the players and I enjoy the big games. This is a big tournament and these will be big games, and to be involved can only help me and in helping me, that helps Middlesbrough Football Club in quite a few ways and I think England has got a chance of winning it."
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