FRUSTRATED Middlesbrough defender Ugo Ehiogu believes he has one last chance to work his way back into England's World Cup plans.

National team boss Sven Goran Eriksson left the centre-back out of his squad to face Holland on Wednesday night, and Ehiogu fears his hopes of going to Japan and South Korea in the summer are quickly diminishing.

The 29-year-old, who has three caps, admits he does not expect to be on the plane to the Far East if he fails to be named in Eriksson's team to face Italy on March 27.

"I would say my chances would be really slim if I'm not in against Italy," said the Hackney-born defender, who has played only two Boro games in 2002 because of a groin injury.

"There was no real surprise for me to be left out of this one because of my injury. But it would have been nice to have been involved."

Boro's record buy, an £8m capture from Aston Villa in October 2000, is confident he can maintain the type of form needed to force Eriksson into selecting him.

While England's attacking play has received huge praise under the Swede's reign, criticism has been levelled at the defence.

Ehiogu insists there is room for improvement and he is convinced he has the talent to stake a serious claim for a place in the 23-man squad.

"I believe I'm good enough, otherwise I would not be talking about it," said the towering stopper, whose club teammate Gareth Southgate played the second half against the Dutch.

"I don't think the defence has been as settled as some of the formations have been in midfield and up front. So there's always a chance and there's always a possibility.

"I want to be back playing regularly for Middlesbrough and hopefully I'll have a good run of games, with decent form, and then work my way back into the picture.

"Nearer the World Cups people start talking about squads and you do get a little bit wary and conscious that time is running out.

"Some people were saying ahead of the Holland game that certain players only had one last chance to impress.

"I could not have got injured at a worse time for both Middlesbrough and England. But I have got to look forward."

With a relegation battle at club level hotting up and an important FA Cup fifth round fixture with Blackburn Rovers tomorrow, Ehiogu is desperate to help Boro .

He remains confident of defeating Blackburn, who are already in the Worthington Cup final a week on Sunday.

"It will be hard for them not to talk about the final," said Ehiogu, who won the League Cup in 1996 with Villa. "I have been in that situation where you are in the final and you have got games to play.

"But I'm sure Graeme Souness will not be allowing his players to think like that."

He added: "I thought about helping Boro to their first trophy last year when we should have beaten Wimbledon and gone on to play Wycombe. But beating Manchester United was a huge boost to us."

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