England Head Coach Steve McClaren has revealed his delight after Israel defeated Russia in Tel Aviv to put qualification for Euro 2008 back in England's control with a draw enough against Croatia on Wednesday.

England prepared for the game at Wembley in Vienna, winning by a Peter Crouch goal, and after traveling home on Friday evening all eyes were on Israel's qualifier.

McClaren said: "What a night! Absolutely fantastic news for us all.

"I'd like to pay tribute to Israel for the professional way they went about the job tonight - they showed what a proud nation they are and deserve a lot of praise for their efforts.

"I've said several times over the past few weeks that the campaign was never over until it was over and that I always believed it would come down to the Croatia match - thankfully it has.

"I watched the match with my family at the team hotel in Watford. All the coaching staff are also in the hotel, and as you can imagine we're all delighted qualification is back in our own hands.

"However, what's really important now is that we get the job done on Wednesday night.

"I knowwe've made things difficult for ourselves by dropping points early on in the group, but we have played a lot better during the second half of the campaign and I've got every confidence the players will do the job at Wembley."

McClaren also called upon the crowd on Wednesday night to get behind England at Wembley and roar them to qualification: "It's back in our own hands now and we really need the the whole country to get right behind the team over the next few days.

"We've got to get the result on the pitch on Wednesday night, while we really want the fans to generate another really big Wembley atmosphere - just as they did against Russia.

"It will be a difficult game, but I'm convinced we we will get the result we need and will qualify for Austria and Switzerland."