A FRUSTRATING and disappointing start to life in the head coach’s office at Middlesbrough has not put Steve Agnew off stepping into frontline management on a full-time basis, ahead of a potentially make-or-break fixture at the Riverside Stadium.

Burnley, who have only collected three points away from home all season, head to the North-East this afternoon knowing Boro need maximum points if they are to stand a chance of staying in the Premier League.

A further defeat for the men from Teesside could see the seven-point gap to safety widen before the final seven matches of the campaign; a tall order for any side, not least one that has failed to win since before Christmas.

Agnew has only been in charge for the last three games of the 13-match winless run and has been encouraged by the approach of the players towards him and his new-look backroom team.

Despite collecting just one point from the first nine available since being handed the reins following Aitor Karanka’s departure, Agnew is still sporting a smile and would love this to be the start of a longer term managerial career.

“I keep working, and repeating myself, and my focus is only on Burnley, but do I see myself as a manager? Yes I do. That’s what I want to do,” said Agnew.

“That’s my ambition. I have waited a long time, waited for many years. At the moment I see Burnley, beyond that, of course, that is my ambition.”

Middlesbrough were already in freefall when Agnew was handed control before the visit of Manchester United on March 19. Since then the draw at Swansea was followed up with a bleak 4-2 reversal at relegation rivals Hull City.

There are now just eight matches remaining, one more than the two teams sitting above them in the battle to beat the drop, and he thinks people understand the position he inherited. He has still embraced the task at hand.

He said: “I think the situation we are in is a precarious situation and difficult to manage. I think that challenge I have gone into is something I have enjoyed. I relish everything about it.

“That is being open and honest. I can’t wait. I wish we were kicking off against Burnley in ten minutes time because I have enjoyed it. We just need the three points we all hope for.”

Agnew has got Jonathan Woodgate alongside him as first team coach and drafted in Joe Jordan as his assistant. He has also promoted Under-23s coach Paul Jenkins and still has Leo Percovich as the goalkeeper coach.

Eyebrows were raised by the appointment of former Middlesbrough player Woodgate, despite the fact the hometown figure had never held such an important position before.

But Agnew said: “Woody has moved quickly with it. He is enjoying it. He is into his analysis. He is working with the back units. He has done sessions on the field of play.

“He has had meetings, interacted with players when needed. Joe is a solid guy with plenty experience. I have been really impressed with them all, Paul Jenkins and Leo too.”

The Middlesbrough boss, who has been given no assurances over his long term future in the head coach role by chairman Steve Gibson, has been told to carry on doing what he is doing.

Having been perceived to be the good cop in the dressing room during Karanka’s time in charge, Agnew insists he is not afraid to let rip when he needs to.

He said: “Without discipline you have got nothing. I was brought up with discipline. I think that has to be there. I am quite a pleasant guy, decent nature, but I know what is right and wrong. So do the players. You’d have to ask the players, but the feeling is they are with me.”

Patrick Bamford was brought back into the Middlesbrough squad for the midweek trip to Hull, when he was introduced as a second half substitute. That was his first appearance since playing at Tottenham two months ago.

Bamford has been short of confidence since his return to Teesside after his unsuccessful stint at Burnley, where he only made six appearances from the bench during his half season loan from Chelsea. Agnew is focused on getting the £6m man back to his best.

Agnew said: “Patrick had 18 months without playing football. He was terrific here, the Championship player of the year, what a talent.

“I wasn’t around when he was at Crystal Palace, Norwich and Burnley, but for whatever reason he has lost his way in terms of playing regularly. That’s what we hope to give him back.

“I would say when he came back in he wasn’t what we expected, he hadn’t been playing up to speed. In the last two weeks he has been really good on the training ground. I have seen bits of the old Patrick Bamford. He is starting to get there now.”