Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate says he's calm over his future.

"It's great that I have been publicly supported, although I didn't need it," he said. "I have it internally. For 2½ years, I've been second favourite to get the bullet; maybe now I'm No 1.

"I don't take myself too seriously, but I take my job seriously and I accept the speculation that goes with it.

"Clubs change managers and players all the time, but the underlying issues remain. For our club we have a huge debt and that has to be managed. People get fed up of hearing excuses from managers and that's why chairmen make changes. It gives supporters hope. The reality is that the manager goes and the problem is still there.

"We have an experienced chairman. He will not make a kneejerk reaction, but he won't allow us to just plod on and lose games. He would be quick to crack down, but he feels the majority of the decisions we make are the right ones for our long-term future. But we are suffering."