STEVE McCLAREN has given an honest assessment of the fickle nature of football club management admitting 'you're a hero one day, a bum the next'.

Boro play host to David Moyes' Everton tomorrow - the Toffees undoubtedly the Premier League's surprise packet.

After just finishing above the relegation zone last term and selling England star Wayne Rooney at the start of this campaign, Moyes' side were favourites for the drop and their manager a short price to be the first to lose his job.

But the Merseysiders have turned the tables on their snipers, and have maintained their place in the top four since the start of the season.

McClaren admitted: "It's a fantastic achievement for Everton. They were one place off a relegation spot last season and this time they've been in third or fourth spot throughout.

"In football management you're a hero one day and a bum the next. We all experience it but in the Premier League it's a bit more highlighted than normal.

"He (Moyes) had a great first season at Everton but I think he'll admit himself he learnt a lot more last season in football than he's learned in all his time in management.

"He's taken all of that on board he's got a team that's playing well, playing together, and they're challenging for the Champions League places."

Boro go into tomorrow's game knowing a defeat would virtually end their hopes of overhauling Everton in the race for fourth spot.

The Teessiders suffered a dip in form over Christmas and New Year with a return of just three points from four games, and McClaren admitted this is his side's biggest game of the campaign so far.

He said: "Sunday's game will go a long way to having a say (in the Champions League race). Lose and we're 11 points behind Everton, win and it's just five.

"It's a huge game but we're not thinking about losing it. It's our most important game of the season."

Boro's recent run hasn't been helped by the spate of injuries that has robbed McClaren of many of his first choice starting XI.

The Boro boss has been searching at home and abroad for reinforcements, and admitted this week he made three attempts to persuade Chelsea to allow Geremi to return to the Riverside - all without success.

The problem, according to McClaren, appears to be that other Premiership clubs are frightened that injuries will make their squad lightweight as they reach the business end of the campaign.

"We've got a good squad - a good team - but when you look at it with all the injuries we're now a bit light," said the Middlesbrough manager.

"Teams are settled at this time of the year. They've made their summer acquisitions.

"What you find in January is that a lot of teams have injury problems. They're all, like us, saying their squad is not big enough.

"Everybody's looking and there is a shortage of quality players.

"You go to any Premier League club and they'll all tell you they've got injuries. They're all short and they all say they could do with a couple of players. If we're all saying that then who's going to let their players go?

"That's the state of the market at the moment.

"It's very difficult but we've got a lot of young players coming through.

"It's given them an opportunity. The likes of McMahon and Morrison and Danny Graham.

"In one sense that's great. Great for the club, great for the academy, great for the supporters.

"To find players out there who are better or equal to what we've got is very difficult. The good players no-one wants to let go of.

"Ideally if we can bring a player in who we can sign and who can improve the team then we'll do that.

"There aren't many out there who can do it. Otherwise it might have to be a stop gap - a short-term loan."

Boro take on an Everton side who have been hit by the loss of Real Madrid's latest signing, Thomas Gravesen, and the upheaval at Goodison Park may play to the Teessiders' advantage.

But James Beattie is expected to make his Premiership bow for the Toffees and McClaren believes he is a striker with plenty to prove.

"Gravesen will be a big loss for Everton," said McClaren. "But with the acquisition of Beattie, and you add Ferguson and Bent, they're not short in that department.

"Beattie's a very good player - a proven goalscorer. All players have something to prove.

"A year ago, 18 months ago, he was figuring in the England squad and I'm sure he believes he has the ability to get back in. He's now got a great opportunity to prove that."

* McClaren admitted yesterday the club have been contacted by representatives of Roma midfielder Olivier Dacourt. The 30-year-old former Leeds United and Everton midfielder, who has 17 caps for France, is keen on a return to the Premiership.

* The kick-off for Boro's UEFA Cup tie in Austria on Feb 17 against Grazer AK is now 6.30pm GMT (7.30pm local).

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