STEVE McCLAREN last night paid Alan Shearer the perfect compliment by admitting Middlesbrough will be glad to see the back of the former England striker when he retires.

Shearer's record-breaking goal against Portsmouth means the wait for him to beat Jackie Milburn's 200-goal haul is over.

And Boro boss McClaren has jokingly claimed that he would have loved Shearer to have achieved the new height before his side faced Newcastle on January 2 - meaning he could have hung up his boots early and saved the Teesside club's defenders from a tough day.

"He has been a curse of ours for years," said McClaren.

"He is one of the world's most fantastic centre-forwards and for him to be still playing well at 35 is remarkable.

"What he has done already this season highlights he was right not to retire at the end of last season. He is a typical old-fashioned striker who no defender wants to play against.

"Records don't mean that much to that many people but to strikers they mean everything. He scores goals, he has always scored goals and his record speaks for itself.

"He has been doing what he is doing this season for a long, long time and the sooner he broke the record over Christmas the better. Now he might retire early and we won't have to face him."

When Shearer does eventually retire in the summer, ending almost two decades at the top of his profession, McClaren feels it will be a great shame to the English game.

The Boro manager, and England number two, believes his like may never been seen again in the Premiership.

"Players of his style are a dying breed, particularly with his quality," said McClaren. "We may never see a player like that of the quality he has again in this country.

"He is an all-round striker, with great leadership and professionalism.

"He is to a forward line what Roy Keane has been to midfields for many, many years. He is a true great."