STEVE McCLAREN will call on help from Teesside hero Tony Mowbray as the Middlesbrough boss attempts to steer the club through the group stage of the UEFA Cup.

Boro were pitted against Ukrainian outfit Dnipro in Group D of the competition yesterday, along with AZ Alkmaar, Grasshoppers of Zurich and Litex Lovech.

And Dnipro are the team who knocked Scottish club Hibernian out of the first round in impressive fashion - cruising to a 5-1 aggregate win, despite drawing 0-0 in the first leg.

Now the former Soviet city will be one of those standing in the way of Boro progressing through to the last 32 when they visit the North-East on November 3.

That fixture will arrive two weeks after the opening match of the group when McClaren takes his squad to Switzerland to face Grasshoppers of Zurich.

Mowbray, tipped to succeed McClaren at the Riverside Stadium when he moves on, has worked wonders at Hibernian and, in his first season in charge, led them to third place in the SPL.

Having been dumped out of the competition at the first hurdle, McClaren will be seeking a conversation with the Hibs boss.

"We don't know too much about the other two sides but we will certainly be doing our homework on them. In the case of Dnipro that could include a phone call to Hibernian," said McClaren, relieved that they face the Ukraine side on home soil.

After the Dnipro tie, Boro will make their final group away trip to Holland to face Alkmaar on November 24 before hosting mid-table Bulgarians Lovec on December 15.

It is the trip to the Dutch club that is seen as the most difficult of the four games and their form - they sit top of the Eredivisie - suggests such.

Alkmaar have welcomed the visit of Boro. "There are two teams in our group we wanted: Middlesbrough and Grasshoppers. The Ukraine and Bulgaria team are those we would rather not have had," said director Marcel Brans.

Former Barcelona and Holland coach Louis van Gaal took over Alkmaar in the summer, just two months after they were beaten by a Fabio Rochemback inspired Sporting Lisbon at the semi-final stage last season.

And McClaren will be warning his players to be on their guard against van Gaal's men. "Alkmaar are a very attack minded team and are top of the Dutch league. They have got a talented manager and some very good players," he said.

"But Grasshoppers also have a strong reputation in European football and are currently doing well in their respective league - as always."

Boro chief executive Keith Lamb was at yesterday lunchtime's draw in Nyon and greeted the news with confidence.

Lamb immediately made it known that he believes Boro should be able to finish at least third and progress through to the last 32 for the second successive campaign - in only the club's second European adventure.

"The purpose of the competition is to qualify. The draw and schedule gives us an excellent chance," said Lamb. "I accept our two home games are not the most glamorous but they are games we feel we can do well in.

"We have also avoided difficult trips for the fans to Bulgaria and the Ukraine. The games in Switzerland and Holland are both easily accessible."

Meanwhile, Boro's Austrian defender Emanuel Pogatetz has written off his country's chances of following Northern Ireland's lead by beating England.

Austria take on Sven-Goran Eriksson's side at Old Trafford on Saturday knowing England need a good result and performance after last month's horror show at Windsor Park.

England then take on Poland a week today and six points from those games will secure a place in next summer's World Cup - something Pogatetz is convinced will happen.

"I have to say that England are the best team and I think you will see that they finish first," said the 22-year-old. "Poland have been very lucky in this competition, especially against us. We lost both games in this competition but we could have won both.

"It will be very difficult for us to get a draw against England. They have a very good chance of beating us.

"We have no chance to go through. This is the best game in the qualification and now I miss it here against my manager Steve McClaren.

"It would have been nice for me but things happen and I look forward."