STEVE AGNEW insists he is ready to take on the responsibility of leading Middlesbrough’s relegation fight, and is confident he will keep the club in the Premier League if he remains in the head coach role until the end of the season.

Agnew stepped into the breach after Aitor Karanka parted company with Boro on Thursday morning, and will take charge of his first game when Manchester United visit the Riverside tomorrow lunch-time.

The former number two was permitted to make his first appointment yesterday, with Joe Jordan joining Boro’s backroom staff in a coaching capacity, and Steve Gibson provided a strong public endorsement of his credentials when he insisted he was “more than a number two” and “could be a surprise number one”.

Agnew’s caretaker role will be reassessed after the weekend, but if Boro can arrest a ten-game winless run, there is every chance of him emulating Craig Shakespeare, who stepped up to replace Claudio Ranieri at Leicester and was subsequently handed a contract to the end of the campaign.

The 51-year-old re-joined Middlesbrough’s coaching staff in 2007, having left the club three years earlier to work at Leeds United and Hartlepool, and feels he is ready to make the step up to a permanent head coach position in the Premier League.

“I think I’ve served my time,” said Agnew, who is set to impose his authority by recalling Stewart Downing to tomorrow’s squad, even though the winger was axed by Karanka following a much-publicised bust-up. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.

“I have had opportunities in the past, but never felt they were quite right. To be given an opportunity is everything you need, but then you have to grasp it. I’m very confident in what I’ve done. I’ve been in football for a long time now and am confident in terms of my abilities as a coach.”

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Agnew is similarly confident when it comes to Boro’s chances of avoiding the drop. The club’s form nose-dived spectacularly in the final weeks of Karanka’s reign, and Agnew has inherited a side that are three points adrift of safety ahead of this weekend’s games.

With Crystal Palace, Hull and Swansea all in action this afternoon, the gap could have increased further by the time Boro kick-off tomorrow, but having played an integral role in last season’s successful promotion campaign, Agnew has not lost faith in the abilities of his players.

He is confident survival is a realistic ambition, and if Gibson entrusts him to deliver it in the next two months, he will be doing everything possible to repay the chairman’s faith.

“I’ve had a long relationship with the chairman,” said Agnew. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’s someone I think is the best, in the way he runs the club and the decisions he makes.

“I’m just desperate to do well for Steve Gibson, as well as the supporters and the football club. Of course this is an opportunity for me, and it’s something I’m determined to make a success of.

“The players understand where we are and what we need to do to get out of the situation we’re in. We’ve played some really good football and played well against a lot of the top teams. They’re more than capable. I have a clear view of exactly what’s needed. That’s what I aim to deliver.”

Jordan’s arrival will help in terms of preparing for tomorrow’s game, with the 65-year-old boasting a wealth of experience, having managed at Hearts, Stoke City and Bristol City.

He has also worked alongside Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth, Tottenham and QPR, and his arrival was confirmed at the same time as Boro announced the departure of three key members of Karanka’s backroom team.

Goalkeeping coach Marcos Abad, who has been standing in for Leo Percovich, has left, along with influential analysts Juanjo Vila and Guillermo Salinas.

“Joe is a great football guy,” said Agnew. “I’ve known him a long time and have done courses with him. He’s worked at the highest level for a long time and I’ve kept in touch with him.

“He’s somebody I trust and he will have a big impact with the players. He lives in Bristol. When I made the phone call, he was in the car and was here six hours later. That tells you all you need to know.”

Agnew will be without Calum Chambers, George Friend and Rudy Gestede for tomorrow’s game, while Patrick Bamford is also a major doubt after missing training this week because of illness.

Downing is available, however, and having been ostracised under Karanka, the former England international is likely to play an influential role under Agnew.

“Stewart is a Middlesbrough boy and loves the club,” said Agnew. “He’s born and bred in Middlesbrough and it’s his town club. He’s a very talented footballer and someone I’ve known a long time. I know how he works and he’s a big part of the rest of the season.”