JUBILANT Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel today described Rovers' return to Europe as an even better achievement than winning the Worthington Cup.

Graeme Souness's troops will compete in the UEFA Cup again next season thanks to a thrilling 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane yesterday.

That result, coupled with Everton's 2-1 defeat against Manchester United, was enough to secure a top six finish on a dramatic final day of the season.

And Friedel believes Rovers now have the potential to do even better next season providing they can tweak one or two areas of their game.

"It feels a little bit different qualifying for Europe this time compared to when we did it last year," said Friedel.

"Last year we did it by winning a Cup which was very nice and great for a club which had just come up from the First Division.

"But this year it's a better feeling because you feel as though you've accomplished more because over the course of 38 games we've finished in sixth, despite a very poor record against the bottom teams.

"So if we can clean that up a little bit next season then who knows. Maybe, just maybe, we can get one or two places higher but we'll sit down at the beginning of next season and have a talk about what our goals are and how we can reach them."

Goals from Dwight Yorke, Craig Hignett, Damien Duff and Andy Cole ensured Rovers banked a whopping £7,545,000 jackpot for finishing sixth, which will boost Graeme Souness's transfer kitty during the coming months.

And Friedel is anticipating a busy summer of wheeling and dealing as the manager looks to build on what has been another fabulous season of achievement.

"I don't want to start talking about the Champions League," said Friedel.

"A lot depends on what happens in the transfer market. I've got a feeling it's going to be a busy summer in that sense so we'll just have to wait and see.

"But for now I just want to enjoy what we've achieved.

"We wanted to finish higher than 10th and get into Europe and we've achieved that.

"Once we got knocked out of the Cups that was the only way of doing that and it's a tribute to the lads that we made it.

"To finish it at White Hart Lane as well was just fantastic, too, because I don't think that has been one of our favourite grounds to get a result at in the past.

"Maybe 4-0 was a little bit false in the sense that they had a man sent off so early but once we got the second goal and then the third one it was too big of a mountain for them to climb and it became a testimonial at times."

Now Souness will switch his attentions to the job of hanging onto his best players.

Damien Duff and Brad Friedel have both been linked with summer moves to Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal respectively.

Friedel has refused to be drawn on any speculation regarding his own future but Souness is determined to hang onto his star men.

"Damien has three years left to run on his contract and it would have to be an absolutely ridiculous offer to prize him away, and that applies to other players at the club as well," said the Rovers boss.

"Duffer is a top class player, the Champions League is where he wants to be, and that's where I want to be, too.

"He'll get there one day and hopefully that's with us."

Meanwhile, yesterday's result was slightly marred by an injury to Rovers skipper Garry Flitcroft.

The 30-year-old midfielder needed five stitches in a nasty leg wound following a first half challenge from Gus Poyet which resulted in the Tottenham player being shown a straight red card by referee Andy D'Urso.

Rovers' Under 17s got knocked out of the play-offs at the semi-final stage after they crashed to a 3-2 defeat against Manchester City at Hyde United.

Keith Barker and Joel Byrom were the players on target for Rovers but their brave efforts were all in vain.