Boateng's UEFA Cup pledge

The minutes are ticking down to the UEFA Cup final in Eindhoven, and uefa.com diarist George Boateng is looking forward to playing in his home country for Middlesbrough FC - and hoping to give his manager Steve McClaren an unforgettable send-off.

I can't wait for the UEFA Cup final on Wednesday, and the fact it's taking place in my home country makes it doubly special. There's nothing better than to play a big game in front of your own people, and they don't come much bigger than this. I've had to find a lot of tickets for my family and friends, though, and that hasn't been easy!

Credit to Gibson
It's a huge occasion for many reasons, not just because it's a major European final. It's Steve McClaren's last game in charge of Middlesbrough before he becomes England manager, so we would love him to leave with that trophy on his CV. But this is not just Steve McClaren's farewell, it's the biggest game in the club's history, and a lot of credit for that must go to the chairman, Steve Gibson. He's pumped so much money into the club over the years, and he deserves to win this trophy more than anyone else. It would also be great for the next manager if we win it, because the next manager would have an opportunity to defend the trophy next season.

Dutch angle
For me, personally, it's also a chance to impress the Netherlands manager, Marco van Basten, before he names his final FIFA World Cup squad. I know he will be there and it will be great for my chances of going to Germany if I have a good game in front of my home crowd. If we win it and I play well, everyone will want me to go, so that's a big consideration.

End of an era
An era is coming to an end for Middlesbrough. Not only is Steve McClaren leaving but maybe it's the end for his backroom staff too. Many players, including myself, still do not have their futures sorted. Some players' time is coming to an end at this club, while others are just starting. So some players will want to shine in this match and maybe get their futures sorted out.

Great players
But back to the match, and our opponents. I know a lot about Sevilla FC and certainly enough to say they have a very good team and we are probably the underdogs. They play good football, with a strong defence and midfield and some very good attacking players. We know all about Javier Saviola and, of course, Frédéric Kanouté was a great player in the Premiership for many years.

Party time
But it's a cup final and it's not always the best team that wins. There's a lot of pressure and you just have to hope things go your way. We saw that in our FA Cup semi-final against West Ham United FC. We were the better team in the first half, but they had one break in the second half, and scored. In cup finals, if you get a piece of luck you can play badly and still win. If we win - when we win - it's going to be chaos. Eindhoven is only an hour from my house, so it'll be all back to George's and I won't stop partying for a week! I'll even wear my medal in the shower.