STEVE McClaren has thrown the gauntlet down to his big-name stars to finish the job and qualify for Europe, warning them that their glory days are fast running out.

The Middlesbrough boss is gearing up for a make-or-break eight days at the end of which the season and his stewardship will either be judged a success or failure.

It's a thin line that divides the two, one place to be exact. McClaren's men lie eighth in the Premiership table ahead of today's game with Spurs, who sit one place ahead and occupy the final European spot on goal difference.

The Riverside clash with Martin Jol's men is a must-win affair with Boro then facing one final battle, a last-day clash at Eastlands with fellow European rivals, Manchester City.

"It's very important (to get into Europe). It's what we have built the whole season on," McClaren said. "It's been terrific the run we have had in the league and it's been terrific the run we have had in Europe. We've had a taste of it and we want it again."

Referring to the likes of Bolo Zenden, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ray Parlour and Gareth Southgate, he said: "We have got an experienced team and they want it again because the years are running out for them. They want to win something again. They have won one trophy here and they want to win another one."

McClaren has tried to ease some of the pressure on Middlesbrough's shoulders by saying the expectation at Spurs is even greater.

"There's a lot of pressure on Spurs. They have made a huge investment over the last two years to break into the top echelon. The pressure is on them to deliver because they have spent big," he said. "The interesting thing for me is that they have spent nearly £40m in two years and over £20m on young English players.

"That always interests me because, with my England hat on, seeing these young players coming through, getting an opportunity and a club investing in that, is very good for the English game."

McClaren, who will welcome number one keeper Mark Schwarzer back following injury today after losing stand-in Brad Jones to chicken pox, echoed the sentiments of club captain Gareth Southgate by saying seventh place was not the limit of his ambitions for the club.

"I am excited now and I'm excited at this football club. We have been here four years and we are delighted with the progress we have made. But we can see more," he said. "That's not it if we finish seventh and get into Europe again. That's not the best that we'll do, we want to do better than that.

"That excites me because of the present squad we have and the ambition of the chairman. He wants to invest in the summer, as the likes of Tottenham have invested, to make sure we get into that top six."

Jones' withdrawal means McClaren doesn't have to make the difficult decision over whether to drop the impressive Australian in preference for his trusted Antipodean compatriot.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "We were just debating the goalkeeping situation on Sunday and we got a knock on the door from the physio. He popped his head round and said Brad Jones has got chicken pox and will be out for the rest of the season.

"We went from a dilemma as who to put back in, because Brad Jones has been excellent and Mark Schwarzer has trained for a couple of days, and it was taken out of our hands."

McClaren, who also revealed that Colin Cooper would be in the squad after recovering from a hip problem, said the sell-out Boro crowd would have a huge part to play today and likened their role to that of the Liverpool fans at Anfield during Tuesday night's Champions League semi-final.

"It just showed in the Liverpool game how much the fans can give the players that extra push at vital times. I can't stress enough the importance (of the role) they can play.

"We need them all dressed in red, all singing, because we really do need the backing of the crowd.

"We need the kind of atmosphere these experienced players that we have brought here relish."

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