The most loyal and respected chairman in the Premiership has once again nailed his colours to the mast by publicly supporting his beleaguered manager Gareth Southgate.

 

Middlesbrough chief Steve Gibson insisted that relieving his former captain of his duties will not be a cure-all solution to the clubs current plight. Boro have been in freefall and cannot find the back of the net. Having recently been dumped out of the FA Cup by Everton and slipping to two away defeats against relegation-threatened rivals Spurs and Stoke, the rumblings on Teesside have been gaining voice. However, the man with more sway than most remains convinced that the only Middlesbrough skipper in history to lift a trophy is the right man for the job.  

"The magic wand in our situation isn't sacking Gareth Southgate“ said a cautious Gibson, “I understand the frustration of the fans; we have a knowledgeable crowd at Middlesbrough. But if I was to sack Gareth Southgate at this stage, how would it help the situation?"

The international break is possibly the last opportunity for Southgate to rally his troops for a final push towards safety. A change now would not probably help matters. Yet whether Southgate will be in charge to head a possible Championship promotion push in 2009/10 is another story.