STEVE McCLAREN took his Middlesbrough squad off for warm weather training yesterday but, according to Stewart Downing, the only thing the players want to do is stay home and put things right on the pitch.

Saturday's demoralising home defeat to a 93rd minute Neil Mellor strike has left the Teessiders just three points ahead of third-bottom Birmingham City.

And, as Downing admitted, it wasn't the greatest send off before jetting to Marbella.

"I know it is a break and the manager thinks we need it, so we have to go," said Downing, who made his first start against Wigan since the 3-0 home defeat to Charlton back in August.

"I think the lads are a bit disappointed because we just want to stay and play games.

"We are flying out for four days and while it will be sunny and warm, we won't be playing games and that is what we want.

"We don't play in the league for another ten days when we just want to get back out there and start picking up some points."

The performances of Downing and fellow youngster, Lee Cattermole, were the only bright points on Saturday for McClaren, who will be attempting to focus his charges on the relegation fight ahead.

They'll be back in the North-East later this week and have an FA Cup trip to Coventry before their next Premier League encounter - a visit to 'in-form' Sunderland for the Wear-Tees derby.

Downing will be determined to impress at the Stadium of Light after a successful loan-spell under Mick McCarthy launched his career two years ago, and has labelled the encounter 'massive'.

He said: "My first game back was a mix of emotions.

"In the first half I was thinking, here we go again but in the second half we got things back but it just wasn't meant to be in the end.

"But if we play like we did in the second half we'll get points and it was a huge disappointment to lose it in the last ten seconds but we have got to get on with it.

"I could see coming back that the lads were a little bit nervous before the start which is expected because we haven't been doing well lately.

"We thought we might win in the end, but we didn't so it is Coventry now in the cup and then Sunderland, which is a massive, massive game.

"But we are not thinking of it as a relegation battle - we just need points on the board. We are not worried about the other teams - we are just worried about ourselves.

"We know we are good enough to be up there and we shouldn't be where we are, but to start to do that we need three points against Sunderland."

Downing's immediate focus will be on Boro's current plight, but he admits he has one eye firmly on this summer's World Cup in Germany.

Target number one is the England squad for the friendly against Uruguay at Anfield on March 1, with Downing still one of the few naturally left-sided English players available to Sven Goran Eriksson.

"It will take me a few weeks to get back to full match fitness," said Downing.

"It's the first proper injury I've had but I had two knee operations last year so my luck certainly ran out.

"I'm tending not to think about the World Cup at the moment.

"Obviously, I wasn't picked in the last squad which was disappointing but I need to play well for Middlesbrough and that is the only thing I am concentrating on now.

"My aim is to get into the World Cup squad but before that, I want to help show Boro's season isn't over.

"We've got a lot to play for in the UEFA Cup and FA Cup.

"I've heard Mr (Sven Goran) Eriksson say he wants all his England squad to be playing at the highest level.

"Obviously, we're not in the Champions League but I think us still being in the UEFA Cup could help me.

"Realistically, I think I need to get myself back in contention for the March 1 friendly as I think that's when a lot of decisions will be made."

Downing is hopeful McClaren's role in the England set-up will assist his World Cup ambitions, and was quick to defend his under-pressure manager after a run that has seen Boro fail to win in the top flight since November.

Downing said: "The manager picks the team but we are the ones who go out there and perform so we have got to take the blame.

"He's not the one giving away the ball and not getting it in the back of the net so we are the ones who should take the blame."

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