Boro will have to raise offer for Windass

The attacking midfielder's marauding performance in Monday's FA Cup third-round tie persuaded Boro to make an offer for the Bantams' crowd favourite.

Windass, 31, yesterday insisted he wants to stay at Valley Parade for the rest of his career.

But Bradford boss Jim Jefferies, who this week launched a purge by making Stan Collymore, Benito Carbone and Dan Petrescu available for transfer, is also willing to let Windass go.

Petrescu yesterday joined Southampton and Windass could be next out of the door - if Boro up their bid to £1.5m.

Windass, however, ideally wants to hold out for an improved deal at Bradford.

"I'm not looking to get away,'' he said. "I want to stay here. Every player has a price and it seems that if the club get the amount they want, then they'll let me go.

"I would like to see out the rest of my career here, because I don't want to unsettle my family.

"But if the contract isn't right, then I'm not going to stay.''

Head coach Terry Venables has confirmed Boro's interest in Windass after enthusing about his display in the cup clash at Bradford.

Windass did everything but score as Boro booked a home tie against Wimbledon or Notts County thanks to a superb goal by Hamilton Ricard.

Boro yesterday received confirmation that the Colombian striker will miss next Saturday's trip to Liverpool through suspension.

But Venables expects him to be fit for today's crucial relegation battle with Derby County at the Riverside Stadium.

Ricard has shaken off a knock but Noel Whelan, who substituted him at Bradford, is doubtful after suffering a back injury in training.

A win would lift Boro out of the bottom three, but Venables, who has presided over an unbeaten six-match run in League and Cup, yesterday warned that the survival struggle will go to the death.

"We've still got a lot to do,'' he maintained. "I see this is as a battle right through to the end of the season.

"Derby were bottom, but they've improved greatly and I think they are too good to go down. I watched them against West Brom in the cup last week and they impressed me greatly.''

Derby's resurgence coincided with the appointment of former Boro boss Colin Todd as right-hand man to Jim Smith.

Venables has had a similar effect alongside Boro manager Bryan Robson, but the former England coach insisted: "I think Colin has done a bit better than me so far.

"Having said that, it's not possible for one person to do it all on his own.

"I think Jim Smith has done a fantastic job. When things have been looking dark, to come off the bottom and play the sort of football Derby have done, is a great credit to him.''

Meanwhile, Venables yesterday told new England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson he has the players at his disposal to bring glory to the nation.

Venables, who came within an ace of leading England to their first major final in 30 years when they lost to Germany on penalties at Euro '96, is relieved to see Eriksson finally take up his post.

The Swede quit Lazio this week and Venables, who believes the England job should have gone to a domestic manager, stressed: "It's better that he's here now rather than coming at the end of the season.

"He can get around the country and get to know people. He'll do a PR job to start with and get to know the players. He's seen them against Italy and he must have been quite pleased with that.

"We're bottom of our World Cup qualifying group at the moment but there's no reason why we can't get up where we want to be.

"I think the future looks very bright with the players we've got and with his know-how I think there could be a successful time ahead.

"He's got to make sure he's done his homework and I think he has. He sent his assistant, Tord Grip, over here to get as much as information as possible. He'll also have a barrel-load of videos to look at.

"I don't think it'll take too long before he knows who's who and what's what.

"The one thing I learned, which surprised me when I first took the England job, was that the players picked up in only four days the way I wanted to play.

"That's what happens if they're smart and want to learn with their ears and not with their tongues. That way, you can make massive strides in a short time.

"We do have the players, there's no doubt. I was delighted with the players I had and most of them are still around.

"Plus, you've now got Kieron Dyer, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen. They're all top-quality players.''

l Boro keeper Marlon Beresford has joined Sheffield Wednesday on a month's loan.

Boro director George Cook has left the club's board after joining the club in 1994 as a representative of ICI. He will continue his role as chairman of the club's community programme