Sympathy For Southgate ... But Not From The Boro Fans!

Last updated : 17 May 2009 By Boro Mad

Southgate admits being booed by his own fans has left him doubting his own future.

The Boro boss wants to stay in charge even if the club go down but he was jeered at the final whistle as the Riverside crowd turned on him.

Martin O'Neill: "I have great regard for Gareth Southgate and I think he has approached his managership full of integrity and will learn from this experience.

"He is an excellent manager in the making without question and I do feel for him of course and I know something of what he will be feeling.

"He is working with a wonderful chairman and I think Gareth Southgate will be a quality manager.

"It was a tough old game and we didn't play well enough in the first half.

"We were much better in the second half and it was always possible we would get the second goal as Middlesbrough pressured to regain the lead and we had a lot of chances.

"Our recent performances have not been bad, we just have not had the results to go with it."