MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren has been delighted with the impact loan-ranger Geremi has had on the Premiership high-fliers.

But the Boro chief, who takes his side to Everton this afternoon, insists that the Riverside faithful are yet to see the best of the versatile Cameroon man.

Hard-working midfielder Geremi has started each of Boro's five League games since completing a season-long move to Teesside from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

But while Massimo Maccarone, an £8.15m summer capture from Italian side Empoli, hits the headlines both at home and abroad for his goal-scoring exploits, Geremi is just focusing on his own job in hand.

The 23-year-old, who played in the World Cup for his country, has already settled in the region with a little help from fellow countryman Jospeh-Desire Job.

And Geremi's bouncy personality has helped Job recapture the form that persuaded former Boro chief Bryan Robson to pay RC Lens £3m for the tricky striker just over two years ago.

And McClaren believes Job will not be the only player in his squad to benefit from having Geremi's presence around the training ground.

"He has been terrific around the place," said McClaren. "One of the reasons why I brought him here was for his flexibility.

"He can play right-side of midfield, centre-midfield, right wing-back and he says he can even play centre-forward!

"He loves it here, he's one of those that just loves playing football. He always has a smile on his face.

"At Real Madrid he was not getting much football and we have given him that opportunity and he is relishing it.

"He has made a huge difference to us because of his bubbly character.

"He's brought a great freshness and I think he is still getting used to the English pace.

"If you think about it he has not played that much football over the past couple of years, especially with the Premiership being so fast.

"But I think he can only get better, like the team, I think there's a lot, lot more to come."

After Saturday's comfortable 3-0 victory over North-East rivals Sunderland, expectations around the Riverside have grown stronger yet again.

Boro are sitting a pretty fourth in the top-flight and sections of the club's supporters are already talking about qualifying for Europe.

But, although confident, McClaren has called for a reality-check ahead of today's clash at Everton.

"I think it's fantastic people feel like that and have those expectations, but we have to be realistic," said the Boro chief.

"Yes, after five games we have collected eight points and we are doing well but it's still early.

"There's still a lot more improvement this team can do.

"To qualify for Europe is going to be very difficult. It would be a massive leap from last year to achieve that.

"I don't think you can say whether this team can qualify for Europe yet because this team is still in its infancy."

McClaren, who is still sweating on the fitness of hamstring-victim George Boateng, is unlikely to select Alen Boksic in his starting line-up today.

The Croatian sat on the bench during the match with Sunderland after failing to fully recover from a niggling thigh strain.

And McClaren, delighted with the form of Job, Maccarone and Szilard Nemeth, admitted Boksic is no longer guaranteed a place in his first XI.

"I don't think anybody in any football team is automatic choice," he said. "The great thing about this season, what we didn't have last season, is competition for places up front.

"Alen's training since Tuesday has been excellent. Like we say to everyone you have to wait for your opportunity and then take it - like Alen has been working towards."

McClaren, meanwhile, is a big fan of his opposite number at Goodison Park today.

Since taking over at the back end of last season, David Moyes has steered Everton clear of relegation and made a positive start to the new campaign.

And McClaren admits he is a big admirer of the former Preston boss. He said: "I had great respect for him when he was at Preston, he did a great job there, and I was delighted the Premiership recognised a young manager in the lower divisions.

"Everton have given him an opportunity and they made a brave and good decision to go for Moyes and I think that's been proved."

Moyes was taken on by the Merseyside club board after taking unfancied Preston to the brink of promotion to the Premiership.

And, like McClaren, a top-flight club eventually came calling on the Scot's door despite his inexperience at managing a side among the English elite.

McClaren, snapped up by Boro chairman Steve Gibson in the summer of 2001 after impressing as England coach and Manchester United's assistant manager, is also predicting Moyes will build on from his early promise.

"Experience is good when you are a manager," he said: "But sometimes so is being a young manager. Someone once said to me 'one year's experience can take somebody else 20 years to acquire' - that's true.

"And Moyes will have built up plenty of experience from his days with Preston. He is doing a great job and I'm sure that will continue."