THE man Steve McClaren replaced as Middlesbrough manager has dismissed the suggestion that old friend Terry Venables would accept an offer to take charge at the Riverside Stadium.

That would leave Alan Curbishley as the front-runner for the job, with Martin O'Neill apparently unwilling to work with the coaching staff already on board at the Teesside club.

Boro chairman Steve Gibson has enlisted Venables among his three 'top drawer' targets to succeed McClaren when he leaves to carry out duties with England on May 16.

But the 63-year-old's business commitments, he owns a leisure complex in Spain, looks like coming between him and Middlesbrough, where he masterminded an escape from relegation in Bryan Robson's final season in charge.

Robson called Venables for help in the 2000-01 campaign and the former England boss totally transformed the club's fortunes, guiding them out of the drop zone and up to 14th after arriving in December.

That achievement has never been forgotten by Gibson, who was blocked in his attempts to keep him at Middlesbrough after that spell because of his television work.

This time, though, the ambitious chairman could miss out on the former England coach for other reasons, with Robson suggesting Middlesbrough will have to explore other alternatives in their quest for McClaren's replacement.

"Terry Venables has been mentioned but I would be very surprised at that one if he did get the Middlesbrough job," said Robson, who was part of the England coaching staff during Venables' days in charge.

"I was speaking to Terry in a hotel in London recently. He has a massive sports and development property in Spain which he is developing and he commits a lot of time to that. I can't see Terry leaving that behind."

With Venables' business standing in the way and O'Neill not too receptive to the idea of working with the current coaching staff, it would seem Curbishley has jumped to the front of the queue.

He was one of the candidates to succeed Sven Goran Eriksson after this summer's World Cup and he quit Charlton after it became clear his name was not going to be added to the Football Association's pay-roll.

And now, with a number of clubs linked with him, Curbishley meets all the criteria Gibson is searching for in his new manager.

Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie - the man McClaren has recommended to Gibson - is another Middlesbrough could turn to, particularly if reports that he will quit Selhurst Park next week prove correct.

Ideally the Middlesbrough supremo would like to have the new man installed before the start of the World Cup, and insisted after Wednesday's UEFA Cup final defeat that he expects a decision sooner rather then later.

And that would be welcomed by the players heading off to the finals in Germany with their respective countries.

Winger Stewart Downing looks destined to be one of those, and feels Middlesbrough's progress to a major European final has aided his preparations for appearing in one of the biggest sporting competition's around the globe.

Downing has been named in Eriksson's provisional 23-man squad for the tournament and hopes to play some part for an England side who could still be without Wayne Rooney.

And the Middlesbrough left winger insists his game has improved considerably during his club side's rise to the UEFA Cup final, even if they were outclassed 4-0 by Sevilla.

"From the games I have played in Europe I have learnt a great deal. They are all good footballers and are all technically very good at this level," said Downing, who also had to cope with continental gamesmanship in Eindhoven from his marker Daniel Alves.

"They are strong players and that's the sort of player I will be up against if I get a chance in the World Cup. Playing in Europe has helped me prepare for that.

"To have been called up to the 23-man World Cup squad is absolutely fantastic. The standard the World Cup will be played at will be of the highest order and I would like to think the defenders I have come across in Europe will stand me in good stead for that.

"In the Premiership you are up against players who are similar to your self. Sometimes they are stronger or quicker but everyone knows you and you know everyone else. In Europe it's a different sort of test."

Downing, provided some of the Premiership's big guns don't come calling this summer, will have to make the most of an appearance in the World Cup as he will not be playing European football with Middlesbrough next season.

Downing said: "It's frustrating to think we are not in Europe next year but we have had two good seasons in the UEFA Cup and we should never forget that.

"For a club that has only been in Europe for two years, I think our achievements should still be recognised and remembered. We have to be looking to get into the top seven in the league and look for good cup runs as well.

"The new manager will be coming in to make sure that is the case and I think everything is looking good for the club. There's very little to be gloomy about."

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