STEVE McClaren has been backed for the England job - but only after he's finished his work on Teesside, writes Adam Murray.

The Middlesbrough coach received the glowing praise from Steve Gibson, but the Boro chairman wants to keep the reference firmly locked in his desk for the time being.

"Steve's an ambitious guy and one day I think he will end up as manager of England," said Gibson.

"We will do everything to help him there. To be a manager of England he will have had a lot of success here."

McClaren was, and still is, the Football Association's number one choice to replace Sven Goran Eriksson when the Swede eventually leaves the England job.

But McClaren reiterated his full commitment to Boro just days before Eriksson's position was coming under discussion at an emergency FA board meeting last Thursday.

The Boro boss worked alongside Eriksson at this summer's European Championships and was his number two for two years before leaving the post to concentrate on matters at the Riverside in November 2002.

And Gibson believes that has raised Middlesbrough's profile in the world game as much as McClaren's.

"We're good for him and he's good for us," said Gibson. "But I see that England job a long way down the line yet."