A FURIOUS Franck Queudrue has warned his Middlesbrough team-mates they risk undoing all of their good work if a cure is not found for their UEFA Cup hangovers.

The French full-back helped secure a point against Charlton on Sunday when his 86th-minute through ball was headed home by substitute Danny Graham.

But, while the 2-2 draw was no less than Boro deserved after a stirring second-half comeback, the result added to a lengthening list of under-achievement on the weekends following a UEFA Cup date.

Steve McClaren's side have now played seven games immediately after a European outing, and taken maximum points on only one occasion.

Defeats at Everton and Tottenham have been accompanied by home draws against the likes of Portsmouth, Bolton and Charlton, with Boro squandering a total of 14 points in the aftermath of their European exertions.

With the club still feeling its way on the continental stage, Queudrue admits that the combination of UEFA Cup and Premiership workloads is beginning to take its toll.

But, with the battle for next season's European places hotting up, the 26-year-old knows that Boro cannot afford to suffer more domestic setbacks as their UEFA Cup campaign continues.

"It's difficult to play so soon after a European game," admitted Queudrue, who has missed just one of Boro's UEFA Cup games this term. "But we are professionals and we have to deal with it.

"There are a lot of excuses we can use, but none of them will count for anything once we're out on the pitch.

"We've got ourselves into this position because of everything we achieved last season, and it's no use using Europe as an excuse if we don't win in the league.

"Other clubs win games after they've played in Europe, so there's no reason why we can't as well.

"It's something we know we need to improve. We've got some more big European games coming up and we know we need to be doing well in the league immediately after those games."

Ironically, Boro's next European game is followed by a free weekend as the club is not involved in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, but the second leg against Sporting Lisbon precedes something of a must-win home game against struggling Southampton.

Charlton's five-man midfield successfully stifled the Teessiders in the first half on Sunday, and the Saints are likely to adopt the same spoiling tactics when they travel to Teesside later this month.

Boro's players are having to get used to opposition sides testing their physical fitness in the aftermath of a European date, but Queudrue is confident they can rise to the challenge.

"Charlton were very strong defensively and they made it difficult for us to break them down," said the Frenchman.

"We have to get used to that - especially at the Riverside. Teams might look at us, think we are going to be tired, and try to make things as tight as possible in the hope that we will tire.

"But that didn't happen against Charlton. We played really well in the second half and, if anything, we were stronger than them in the last ten minutes."

Last weekend's point kept Boro in the European positions, but other results enabled three different clubs to move to within three points of sixth spot.

Everton are beginning to look out of reach in the race for the Champions League but, with ten games to go, Queudrue remains confident of a second successive outing in the UEFA Cup.

"It's very close in the top half of the table," he conceded. "It will be tight right up to the final day of the season. I still think we've got a good chance of achieving something good.

"It's very important that we get back into Europe last year. The gaffer was able to bring in players in the summer, simply because we were in the UEFA Cup.

"We need to get back into Europe so that the same thing can happen again.

"We're confident we can make the top six. The worst thing that could happen this year is that, after everything we've achieved, we end up finishing seventh and miss out.

"But we're capable of staying in the top six - we all know that - and I still think fourth place is up for grabs."

* Middlesbrough have turned down Queens Park Rangers' attempt to take Boro defender Andrew Davies to Loftus Road on a permanent basis.

The 20-year-old made four loan appearances for the Championship side at the start of the year, before an ankle injury forced an early return to the Riverside.

Boro have dismissed QPR's initial offer and the London outfit are currently discussing whether to return with an improved bid. "A bid was placed for Andrew Davies," confirmed a QPR spokesman. "But it was turned down."

* Boro have confirmed that they will play the return leg of their UEFA Cup tie with Sporting Lisbon in the Jose Alvalade Stadium on Thursday, March 17. Kick-off is at 9.15pm local and UK time.

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