Incredible Boro do it again

Henry named writers’ Player of the Year

Scolari bid receives mixed reaction

- Three weeks after having to score four goals in an hour against FC Basel to stay in the UEFA Cup, amid amazing scenes at the Riverside, Middlesbrough do it again against Steau Bucuresti to reach their first-ever European final.
Trailing 0-1 from the first leg of their semi-final, Boro’s hopes looked forlorn after Steau scored twice in the opening half hour through Nicolae Dica and Dorin Goian.
As against Basel, the incredible fightback started in the 33rd minute - this time via Massimo Maccarone. Further goals from Mark Viduka (64) and Chris Riggott (73) levelled the aggregate scores but, again as against Basel, it was Maccarone who came up with an unforgettable last minute winner.
Having seemingly been overlooked as the new England head coach, the staggering victory was especially sweet for manager Steve McClaren: “It is incredible. It was down to character and attitude. I said that lightning couldn’t strike twice in the same place but it has done. Now let’s go one step further and win the final.”
Boro will now meet Sevilla in the final in Eindhoven on 10 May.
With Arsenal having reached the Champions League Final, two English clubs have reached the final of two European competitions for the first time since 1985.

- Thierry Henry becomes the first player to be named the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year for a third time in the prestigious award’s 59 year history.
Arsenal’s captain won the FWA award in 2003 and 2004 while only Sir Stanley Matthews, Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes and Gary Lineker had won it twice.
Henry will receive his third award at the annual pre-FA Cup Final dinner at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel on 11 May.

- With most reports accepting that Luiz Felipe Scolari’s appointment as England’s next head coach is now only a matter of when rather than if, the FA’s selection of another non-Englishman for the top job receives the anticipated mixed reaction:
Alan Ball (England World Cup winner): “I’m absolutely fed up by it all and it makes me lose all enthusiasm for football. It’s a very sad day.”
Stuart Pearce (Manchester City manager and former England player): “I am surprised it’s not an Englishman but whoever gets it will have my full support.”
David Gold (Birmingham City chairman): “No matter how brilliant a coach someone from abroad may be, it is a betrayal of Englishmen and England fans.”
Mark Perryman (Chairman of the England Supporters’ Association): “I think he’s the strongest candidate but I’m sad in the sense the strongest candidates right now aren’t English candidates.”
Don Howe (former England coach): “I thought we would be getting a British or Irish England coach - Martin O’Neill, Sam Allardyce, Alan Curbishley, Steve McClaren, I think all of those could have done the job.”
Howard Wilkinson (Chairman of the League Managers’ Association): “English coaches have followed the FA line. If this appointment is made, what the FA is saying is ‘We say one thing but we do another’.”
Andre Kfouri (Brazilian sports reporter): “He is a motivator. His players do whatever it takes to win when they are playing for him.”
Deco (current Portugal international): “Big Phil is a great coach but also a good psychologist. One of his great qualities is his interaction with the players.”
Mick Mills (former England captain): “I’m not against appointing Scolari. Many people are clammering for an English coach and if there was an obvious candidate, I would be too.”
Sir Tom Finney (Former England player and president of Preston North End): “It’s sad to see they’ve gone abroad for a manager when England taught the rest of the world how to play the game.”
Gary Lineker (former England striker and TV pundit): “Scolari has got a very good record - but that was with Brazil and Ronaldinho, so well done there - and I am surprised because he has got no connection with English football whatsoever.”

- The Scottish Premier League agrees a two-year extension to its live television deal with Setanta Sports.
The new deal, which is worth a record £54.5million over the next four years, runs until the end of season 2009-10.
Ahead of today’s deadline, Setanta - the ambitious Irish pay-TV broadcaster - have also been bidding for the new Premiership rights. It is thought the company will bid for two of the six 23-game packages and, if successful, start a new channel that will be available on Sky and cable.

- Chelsea have been fined an insignificant £10,000 by the Football Association and warned as to their future conduct for failing to control their players at West Bromwich Albion last month.
Chelsea also face a similar charge resulting from their 1-0 defeat by Fulham on 19 March.