McClaren relishes moment in limelight

STEVE MCCLAREN has enjoyed his fair share of big games.

The Middlesbrough manager was at Alex Ferguson's side as Manchester United claimed an unprecedented treble in 1999 in Barcelona when their late heroics secured a famous 2-1 Champions League Final victory over Bayern Munich.

He was in the dug-out too when England booked their place at the 2002 World Cup Finals with David Beckham's last-gasp equaliser against Greece at Old Trafford.

And he stood alongside Sven-Goran Eriksson in Japan as his dreams came to an end at the hands of eventual winners Brazil in the quarter-finals.

But tomorrow he will walk out at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to send his own side into battle against Bolton with the Carling Cup at stake, and he is relishing the chance to taste success in his own right.

"It is different," he said. "It was a fantastic experience with Manchester United and they were big games with England playing in World Cups. Experience is everything and I think what pleases me most about this final is that it's two clubs outside the top four and it's two English managers.

"People are talking about foreign coaches, foreign managers, coming into the game and it's great that myself and Sam have a chance, an opportunity, to become the first English manager to win something for some time.

"It's also encouraging for the other English managers and coaches around who don't have the experience that those top-four managers have.

"They're all 60-plus and they've all had great experience and a wealth of it. When you look at the English managers and coaches coming through, I would say the majority are under 50, and you have to gain this experience.

"We (Middlesbrough and Bolton) have two chairmen who have first of all given us the opportunity, secondly backed us and thirdly, through ups and downs, have stuck with us, and the chairmen are as much rewarded as we are for their loyalty."

McClaren's championing of his compatriots in the management game is significant not since Brian Little lifted the Coca-Cola Cup in 1996 has an English manager won a major domestic trophy.

For the record, Scots Sir Alex Ferguson, Graeme Souness and George Graham have collected 10 between them, Frenchmen Arsene Wenger and Gerard Houllier have managed another eight, Irishman Martin O'Neill and Italian Gianluca Vialli have two each to their names and Dutchman Ruud Gullit has one.

Either McClaren or Allardyce will break that trend, and not before time.

"With this final coming up and the exposure that myself and Sam are going to get, it's obviously encouraging for other English coaches and managers to come through and to see success can be achieved," McClaren said.

"But for the trend to turn, English coaches and managers have to have some degree of success, so obviously, me and Sam reaching the final shows that's happening and the FA's initiative of coaching badges and getting managers together is coming through."

Allardyce is expected to recall Jay-Jay Okocha, Bruno N'Gotty and Nicky Hunt to the starting line-up. The trio were all given a rest and named on the bench last weekend when the club were defeated by Manchester City.

Defender Emerson Thome and midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos are available again against Middlesbrough after suspension and a hamstring injury respectively.

Bolton have not lifted a trophy since 1958 when they won the FA Cup.

They got to the League Cup final in 1995 but lost to Liverpool and Allardyce is determined to break that run. "This time around we have to make sure we go one step further and bring that trophy back to the Reebok Stadium," he said.

"Let's hope the nerves don't kick in. It would be a major achievement to lift this cup and secure a place in Europe."

Bolton are setting off for south Wales today and will finalise their preparations at a country retreat.