MIDDLESBROUGH'S foreign legion will be out in force this weekend as they make eleventh hour bids to reach the World Cup Finals in Germany next year.

Three Boro players will be playing in first-leg play-offs, with a fourth a more than interested spectator.

Aussie duo Mark Schwarzer and Mark Viduka are in Montevideo as Guus Hiddink's side take on Uruguay before they return leg in Sydney's Telstra Stadium next Wednesday.

Szilard Nemeth will start for Slovakia in their play off first-leg in Madrid, with Gaizka Mendierta still hoping to make the final Spain squad for next summer's finals.

Nemeth said: "This is our best chance of qualifying for a championship since we split from the Czech Republic in 1993.

"I haven't seen Spain for a long time but we know them from club football and they are all very good players.

"They have plenty of quality in every position."

Both goalkeeper Schwarzer and Viduka are aware that this could be their last chance to make a finals - with the considerable hurdle of Uruguay to overcome.

The two teams met at the same stage of the last World Cup with the South Americans making it through to Japan and South Korea.

"Unfortunately the way it is structured qualifing is not the easiest," said Schwarzer. "This is what it boils down to - a play-off with a top team from South America.

"We're fortunate we have the first game away from home. Away legs have always been the problem.

"It would be a massive boost to the whole country if we made it. The league back home has been given a massive overhaul. It's on a high at the moment.

"In Australia we have rugby league, rugby union and cricket. Football is left behind at the moment but if we can qualify we can really start to pushing with the other codes."

l Abel Xavier's UEFA disciplinary hearing into his positive drug test has been put back a week from November 17 to November 23.

* Rangers striker Steven Thompson fears the players have cost manager Alex McLeish his job.

Thompson admits the players are to blame for the McLeish's problems after their miserable run of just two wins in 11 matches and CIS Insurance Cup defeat to Celtic.

He said: ''We are all aware of the fact that the manager has been under pressure for some time, as are the players, and we didn't make it any better on Wednesday.

''It is a perfect opportunity to try to turn things around with an Old Firm victory."