Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has declared himself the right man to take the club back into the Premier League after their relegation was sealed with a 2-1 defeat by West Ham.
Boro needed a win to have any chance of staying up but they failed to keep their side of the deal, with Junior Stanislas grabbing the winner at Upton Park.
"I would like to stay, I think I've proven (myself) for the first two and a half years," Southgate said. "Nothing has been discussed with the chairman, we have to sit down this week and plan more definitely what is going to happen. It will be a tough challenge and we'll have to improve.
"We're ready to make those changes because it clearly hasn't worked this year."
Southgate, however, is braced for his top players leaving the club.
"There will be personal agendas and as a club we will have to bring some money in to go forward," he said. "There are also situations I want to change. Inevitably, there will be big changes to the playing squad."
Comment 1 - 5 of 5
Your squad, your players, your tactics, your motivation Southgate, you've proved you have nothing to offer a top flight team, just like your ex England team mate and ex Boro manager Robson.
Southgate couldn't plan the proverbial p155 up in a brewery
I think Boro should be prepared for a long time out of the premiership. The club is in a disasterous situation, and Gibson knowingly kept his finger on the Southgate self destruct button. Club fans, players and management must take stock and decide where to go from here. They have an advantage of having good young players to call upon.
borpeeps what atre you on about, Gibbo got it wrong. Its not his fault the players didn't play with the exception of a couple. Most of Southgates buys on paper looked ok and other clubs wanted the ones we got. Alvezs was a flop O'Neil was just ok.
Inaddition we have no money so couldn't buy our way out of trouble in January. The club is in debt to the tune of 86 million. We need someone with real money to come and help Steve Gibson not take it over from him. He is Boro.
We will get money in for Alves, Downing, Tuncay, Huth, Wheater, O'Neil and a few others. Then Southgate can build again and get the blend right with youth and experiance.
A new GK Right Back Centre Midfield and Stiker who can score will do for a start. I would try and get Foster on loan from ManU for the GK and get Turnbull signed up and then sell Jones who i do not rate as good enough.
Paul Scholes might want a new challenge and could help the young ones and be Captain and lead from the front. Then we have to fill the other spota and go from there.
UP THE BORO
whats all this sittin down next week and plannin why why why didnt they sit down 30 games ago when relegation was there in the team 4 all to c the fans the pundits and the whole country clearly could see it. the whole of tesside admires gibbo but he got this season horribly wrong and has to stand up and admit it
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