AITOR KARANKA has reaffirmed his commitment to Middlesbrough by suggesting that he wouldn’t wait to be sacked by chairman Steve Gibson if he was unhappy.

The Boro boss was left frustrated at the end of the transfer window because he had missed out on his three main transfer targets, with Robert Snodgrass, Jese Rodriguez and Bojan Krkic all heading elsewhere.

The tensions were evident in the final ten days of the window when Karanka was critical of the fans for not supporting the players during the defeat to West Ham United. Then he described how he had been left without the main men he wanted in his squad for the rest of the season, despite bringing in Adlene Guedioura, Patrick Bamford and Rudy Gestede for a combined £15.5m.

Odds tumbled on Karanka being the next Premier League boss to be sacked before Tuesday’s draw with West Bromwich Albion, and there were even cheeky suggestions he could have been looking for it on social media.

But Karanka, in a much lighter mood at the club’s training headquarters yesterday, said: “Look how much I criticised the crowd, and on Tuesday 27,000 people were singing my name. How did I criticise them?

“I'm a man who if I want to be sacked, I don't need to be sacked - I'll say goodbye and go. I don't need the money, I don't need to train, I'm here because I want to be here and the day I'm not pleased in one place, I'll leave - don't worry.”

There was sincerity in Karanka’s voice as he described how working for Middlesbrough has got under his skin and he is determined to achieve; even if he was left disappointed with what happened during the transfer window.

He said: “As a coach you can imagine when you have three or four targets and nobody is coming, you are frustrated. I could have gone to the press conference after the (West Brom) game asking for excuses but I'm not a man who likes excuses.

“I went to my office yesterday and looked at the board and the 25 players I have are the best players in the world, they are showing me that I can trust them and I'm pleased with their performances and their attitude.

“The players put in everything on the pitch, I didn't criticise the board or the club, it was just showing my frustration. I can't come here to say I'm really pleased when I had three targets and lost three targets. I can't come to a press conference after a game happy with losing, because I'm not that kind of person. If I have frustrations and I can't hide them.”

The last few weeks have led to suggestions around the Riverside that his relationship with the boardroom and the players has become strained. The Spaniard, whose side head for Tottenham tomorrow, is keen to dispel such claims.

He said: “Of course (the relationship with Steve Gibson is strong), it's the person who gave me the chance to be a Premier League coach and both of us know the only way for us to be successful is working together - the club, the coaches, the players and the crowd.

“As a club like us without players of £100m, we need to be together. Now today looks like a bed of roses, but one day I'll come here and criticise the players, criticise myself, as if I'm losing games and games and games, I won't be happy. But I need to make it clear once again that the rumours are just rumours.”

Regardless of the situation behind the scenes, Karanka still has an issue in trying to reintegrate Gaston Ramirez back into the first team picture.

Ramirez’s wishes of a £15m move to Leicester City was not granted before the deadline, even though he had requested a transfer. The South American will not play tomorrow because of his knee problem, but Karanka is confident Ramirez will return to his best.

Karanka, who revealed Calum Chambers is nearing a return and could even figure at Tottenham, said: “I've been speaking with the doctor and he's with them this week, hopefully he'll train with the team on Monday or Tuesday, if we have Monday off.

“I think when he is training with the team it's because he's 100 per cent confident. Gaston is a player who has to be 100 per cent confident and one important part of that is his mind. If he trains on Tuesday with the team it's because he's 100 per cent in everything.

“I always think positively and to be here four more months without playing or in a bad mood is not good for him or his teammates. I can't consider why he would be in a bad way.

“The only thing I can say is that this group of players know how Gaston is for this group, and Gaston knows how important this group of players is for him.

“If he wants to come to me, then yes (we'll chat) but I don't have to tell him anything. I've spoken with him since he arrived here, he knows me very clearly, so if he comes to my office that would be perfect for me.”

Goalkeeper coach Eric Steele has left after sustaining a knee injury. He was only in temporarily to replace for Leo Percovich, who will still be missing for four months after surgery. Karanka is looking for a replacement.