MIDDLESBROUGH fans may get the rare chance to see striker Mark Viduka start a game tonight - for the Australia national side.

The 29-year-old was a bit-part player in Middlesbrough's Premiership campaign that ended successfully with the Teessiders claiming a seventh-place finish and a coveted UEFA Cup spot.

The £4.5m signing from Leeds endured a frustrating campaign with a hamstring injury limiting him to just 16 Premiership games and five goals.

The burly targetman was expected to face a race against time to recover in time for Boro's pre-season, but he is contention to start in the Socceroos' friendly against arch-rivals New Zealand at Craven Cottage this evening.

Boro fans are in a similar position to Australia's football supporters, with both yet to see the best of a striker rated among the Premier League's best at his peak.

While Viduka has scored just seven goals in 21 games for Boro, his record is even worse in international football, with three strikes in 23 games for Australia.

The striker, whose career record remains a goal every other game, is at a loss to explain his misfiring form for the national side.

"I don't have a clue why I haven't done it for Australia," said the striker ahead of tonight's game.

"I've scored goals throughout my career and would love to be top scorer for Australia. It would be an unbelievable honour. Not doing it for my country is very frustrating."

Viduka has been earmarked to play a starring role at this month's Confederations Cup in Germany against the hosts, Argentina and Tunisia, with the former Celtic and Croatia Zagreb forward expected to arrive back on Teesside raring to go for the new season.

Viduka remains an automatic choice for club and country when fit, with national coach Frank Farina well aware of his ability to create chances for his team-mates.

"Creating chances for others gives me a lot of pleasure," said Viduka. "But my job is to score also and for some reason it's not happening for my country."

Meanwhile, Viduka's fellow Boro striker Szilard Nemeth admits his future is uncertain as he comes to a crossroads in his career in England.

The 27-year-old, currently on international duty with Slovakia, has been linked with a £1m move to UEFA Cup winners CSKA Moscow in recent weeks after struggling to command a place in the Boro frontline last season following the recruitment of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Viduka.

Nemeth, who was signed from Inter Bratislava by Bryan Robson and Terry Venables but did not arrive on Teesside until after Steve McClaren had taken over, has had to endure continuing speculation over his future for several years.

That will continue throughout the summer as McClaren embarks upon his forward planning having already agreed a £7.5m swoop for Aiyegbeni Yakubu.

''It is difficult to say for me what the future holds,'' he said. ''I think the manager will have a word with everybody. But all I want is to score goals and give my best to the team.''

Nemeth made many of his 31 appearances last season playing on the right side of midfield as McClaren attempted to cope with a prolonged injury crisis, although he eventually got his chance in attack with Viduka sidelined.

''It was difficult at times and different,'' he said.

''This was because I was asked to play on the right.

''I have to defend more and the movement is different, but I think I am used to it now.''

The need for Nemeth to play in a wide midfield position was due in part to the knee injury which kept Spaniard Gaizka Mendieta sidelined for most of last season, and the 31-year-old has spent the intervening months working hard to make himself available for the start of the new season.

McClaren's players will return for pre-season training on July 4, and former Lazio and Valencia star Mendieta is hopeful of being among them when they do.

''I have been training in Middlesbrough and in Spain and I feel good,'' he said.

''The knee is not yet 100 per cent but I have got four weeks to go before the players return, so I am really, really hopeful that I will be ready for the new season.

''I have recovered almost all of the muscle in the left leg but there is still just a little way to go.

''During the last six months, the only thing in my mind has been thinking about my first game back with Boro, training with the squad again and doing the normal things as a player.''

Injuries to senior players forced McClaren to blood some of his younger squad members last season and the likes of Stewart Downing, Tony McMahon and James Morrison proved more than capable of stepping up.

Boro yesterday announced their latest crop of academy scholars, who will begin two-year courses next month and challenged them to follow in the footsteps of the club's rising stars.

''We have had a very profitable time as far as production of players is concerned and we are optimistic that this group will prove as successful,'' said Academy manager Dave Parnaby.

* AC Milan's Kakha Kaladze believes he will become a Chelsea player next week.

Kaladze, who can play in defence or midfield, is seen by Chelsea as the answer to their problem spot on the left side of defence.

The Georgian said: ''I have agreed everything with the Chelsea management.

''Now it is necessary to wait for them to reach an agreement with AC Milan and I think I could become a Chelsea player next week.''

Asked why he did not wish to stay with AC Milan, he continued: ''Last season I spent a lot of time on the bench and I do not want that with any team."