Southgate Won't Go Into Hiding!

Last updated : 05 March 2009 By Boro Mad
Gareth Southgate: "We have a big following in the south but a lot of those supporters tonight have made the long journey down and we have to apologise to those fans.

"It's an horrendous fixture for them to have midweek anyway and we simply weren't good enough.

"To send them away without even a goal to celebrate is something we have to bear in mind for the coming fixtures.

"I thought we were poor defensively.

"The goals we conceded were very very poor.

"We looked a threat going forward but it was an open game of football which is exactly what we didn't want.

"Tottenham have got better footballers than we have. If you make it an open game here that (big defeat) is exactly what can happen.

"We've been hard working, difficult to break down and disciplined. We didn't have enough of those qualities in the first half. We needed to come in at a minimum of 2-0 and we didn't manage that.

"It clearly wasn't working in the first half and we needed to change it round. We were a little better in the second half but we couldn't have been any worse.

"We came here in good spirits and we had belief which we haven't had for a long time.

"It's a big blow but we've had plenty of those this season. It's how we respond.

"When you lose by that number your goal difference is affected but there's still a lot of football to be played. We must make sure we don't get emotionally carried away by the defeat."