GOALKEEPER Mark Crossley has followed up his decision to sign a new two-year contract with Middlesbrough by tipping Steve McClaren's side for a European push next season.

Welsh international Crossley, who would have been out of contract at the end of the current campaign, agreed fresh terms this week.

The former Nottingham Forest man was frustrated after having to make way for the return of Boro's first-choice keeper Mark Schwarzer. Crossley had kept nine clean sheets in 16 games while Australian Schwarzer was on international duty and then injured.

But Crossley, who confirmed he turned down other offers to stay with Boro, said: "I have spoken with my family and I'm convinced I've made the right decision.

"I realise my position here is as number two keeper, but I'm prepared to wait for a chance again.

"I've enjoyed my time here and I really think this club is going places in the next couple of years, and I'd like to be part of it.

"The contract takes me to 35, I'm probably in my prime as a keeper now, and the gaffer has said that in a year's time, if I'm pulling my hair out, there's no reason why I can't go out on loan so long as Middlesbrough get a 24-hour recall.

"I believe there are going to be big changes in the summer, people coming in and a few more leaving.

"I think next year, with the coaching and management staff we have here, that we can progress and get into that European spot this club desperately need.''

Meanwhile, hate figure Christian Ziege faces a hostile reception when he returns to Teesside for the first time tomorrow since he walked out on Boro 18 months ago.

The Tottenham star was fined £10,000 by a Premier League disciplinary commission earlier this month after being found guilty of helping to engineer his £5.5m move from Boro to Liverpool.

Northern Echo Sport exclusively revealed in September that both Liverpool and Ziege had been charged with breaches of transfer regulations after Boro complained that the wing-back had been the subject of an illegal approach.

Liverpool were also found guilty by the commission, who fined them £20,000. But Boro are taking both Liverpool and Ziege to the High Court as they seek redress for the loss of a player whose market value at the time of his transfer was reckoned to be £8m.

Ziege was only one season into a five-year agreement with Boro, but used a get-out clause in his contract to move to Anfield.

Injury forced Ziege to miss Liverpool's Boxing Day defeat at the Riverside last season, when he chose not to attend the game following the bitter recriminations surrounding his exit.

But after scoring for Germany in their 4-2 win over the USA in Rostock on Wednesday, Ziege is set to line up against Boro for Spurs, whom he joined from Liverpool last summer for £4m after falling out with Anfield boss Gerard Houllier over his lack of first-team opportunities.

* Boro midfielder Mark Summerbell has joined First Division Portsmouth on a month's loan. Summerbell, 25, also had a loan spell with Bristol City this season, making five appearances.

* Boro's win at Manchester United last Saturday has been voted the League Managers' Association's performance of the week - by a panel featuring Red Devils' boss Sir Alex Ferguson

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