STEVE McCLAREN maintains that Massimo Maccarone will justify the club record £8.15m fee Middlesbrough gambled on the Italian striker.

The groans that greeted Maccarone's penalty failure against Tottenham at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday crystalised the misgivings many Boro fans have about his ability.

Maccarone, who missed the first two months of the season after damaging ankle ligaments, has managed only three goals - one a penalty - this term as a bit-part player in McClaren's squad.

Some fans have cruelly labelled Maccarone "Missimo''.

But manager McClaren is standing by the 24-year-old former Empoli star, who had no experience of top-flight football when he joined Boro in the summer of 2002.

Maccarone partially atoned against Spurs after his weak spot-kick had been saved by Kasey Keller, when he played a part in fellow substitute Szilard Nemeth's match-winner.

McClaren, who kept Maccarone on the bench for the historic Carling Cup final victory over Bolton nearly a fortnight ago, said: "It was great to see Massimo's reaction when he came on as a substitute in the game at Birmingham and against Tottenham.

"Players have peaks and troughs, but we know we need the likes of Massimo and Nemeth between now and the end of the season.

"Maccarone has the ability. He started like a house on fire when he came here and finished last season very well.

"This season, he was very unfortunate to be out for a couple of months at the start through injury. I would be more worried if he didn't have the ability - but I know he has.

"I'm still confident he is going to be a success here. His reaction when he has come on of late has proved that he still has the hunger. He's adapting well and starting to come through.''

Meanwhile, McClaren has admitted that Ricardinho, a member of Brazil's World Cup-winning squad along with Juninho, is still not match fit.

Boro landed the 27-year-old midfielder under freedom of contract from Sao Paulo just an hour before the transfer window closed in January.

But he only has until the end of the season to prove himself worthy of a long-term deal.

McClaren said: "He has just started to get a bit of fitness back. Unfortunately, we've not had enough reserve games to get him match fit, but he is starting to improve his fitness now.''