MIDDLESBROUGH'S Carling Cup victory on Sunday was celebrated by several people at York City none more so than Lee Bullock and Stuart Wise who both went to Cardiff to watch their team end a wait of more than 100 years without a trophy.

Even though I am from Sunderland and got a lot of text messages and banter when Middlesbrough went 2-0 up after seven minutes I am still pleased to see a major trophy go to the North East.

There has also been a lot of publicity about the final being the first major success for an English manager in a domestic competition since 1996 and it's pleasing to see people like Steve McClaren coming through.

I had a good chat with Steve when I was at the Sunderland v Middlesbrough reserve game where we talked about bringing Craig Dove here. He's from York and has helped us out and he also did a speech for the Supporters' Trust, of which he is also a member.

He has offered me a bit of advice and he's always there if I want to pick up the phone and ask him something, which you will do during the course of your career because these people are at the top of the game and he has been in this position. He's also been a player so he can appreciate the difficulties of doing both jobs.

He's somebody who has had a good learning curve at the clubs he's been at and then he's had an involvement with England. Hopefully he will get the recognition that he deserves because he's certainly somebody who impresses me and he's made the transition from coach through to assistant manager to manager.

The other pleasing thing about Sunday's final was that there were two teams that do not normally get through to the prestigious events contesting for a place in Europe and that will open all sorts of doors for Middlesbrough. It makes Steve McClaren's job easier because you always want to attract better players and in order to do that you have to be at the top of the league or in Europe. He can now progress as a manager and take Middlesbrough forward as a football club.

Steve's very tactically aware of players and situations as you can see in his teams. He knows what the opposition are about and organisation is a big part of his style of management.

Bolton's manager Sam Allardyce has a slightly different approach, knowing him from his Blackpool and Notts County days. He works a great deal on motivation and, if you look at a lot of the players in his squad, they have arguably not performed at their previous clubs but he manages to get that little bit extra out of them. He's rekindled people like Youri Djorkaeff's careers and they have starred at Bolton. Both are English managers who have got qualities that you look at and see if you can add to your style of management.

I think the dearth of English managers at the top level is more to do with a stigmatism from the times when foreigners were performing better in Europe which goes back to the fact that we were out of Europe for so long that our teams did fall behind a little. Then when all the money came into the game with the Premiership some of the world's best managers like Arsene Wenger wanted to manage in England.

We have a great deal of Scottish managers, as there has always been, and they have always been very committed people with a strong will to win. I would like to see more English managers coming through but it's just getting that opportunity.

I have been fortunate to get one and who knows where that can take me. Hopefully people will benefit a few years down the line if English managers get a good name.

You only have to look as far as Bobby Robson for inspiration. He's been there and done it and had everything throw at him - even the sack! I think the fact that he is still at the top level at the age of 70 is a great credit to him.

The speculation over Sven-Goran Eriksson and Chelsea also continues to raise its head. I think it was a hell of a gamble when England appointed Sven and, at the time, one or two people did not believe it was the right decision but his record in competitive matches speaks for itself.

His players have the utmost respect for him which is what you want as a manager because if you lose that respect you have lost your job in essence. I do not know who will replace Sven but perhaps it will be somebody like Steve McClaren. I'm sure his name will be touted if and when the opportunity arises.

Updated: 10:06 Thursday, March 04, 2004