STEVE AGNEW is yet to win any of his six matches since taking over from Aitor Karanka ahead of Middlesbrough's game with Sunderland tonight.

With the chances of relegation from the Premier League looming large after Saturday's crushing defeat to Bournemouth, fans are wondering what the future holds at the Riverside Stadium.

Agnew held his pre-match press conference at Middlesbrough's Rockliffe Park yesterday, when he was asked about his own position.

His stance is to focus on the task at hand and the Sunderland game, and here's the full transcript of Agnew's press conference.

Journalist: Had a chance to look at Gaston's sending off?

Agnew: “Yes, I was disappointed in it, I have to be honest and, initially, I couldn't see from where I was, the angle, what happened. I've seen the replay back, he went down too easy and I think the bigger disappointment (was) we have to stay in the game, we need everybody on the pitch and I don't think he caught Pugh, but I think it was the intent that he went in with that gave the referee no option.”

How much have Gaston's issues in January affected him – stopped him from reproducing the form he showed in the first half of the season?

Agnew: “I think if you assess and you look at it, January was difficult and then after January Gaston's performances haven't been, probably, as influential as in the first half of the season. So has it affected in terms of being more creative and scoring a goal? I think it has.”

Has he got a future at Middlesbrough, has his head gone?

Agnew: “No, I wouldn't say (that). He does enjoy his football and he trains hard every day. What he has done is, through a sending off, given himself a one match ban and he's not available for the Sunderland game and that's as far as I look ahead.”

With what happened in January, people think he shouldn't be near the team?

Agnew: “I think what we have to do, without going back over everything, the decision in January was for Gaston to stay with us and perform and play as well as he can and it's not just Gaston, the team hasn't functioned, or has found it difficult to find wins as we all know because the last one was back in December.”

He's got the ability to unlock any defence?

Agnew: “Of course he has and I'm sure Gaston will be as disappointed that he hasn't scored more goals as all of our attacking players will be.”

Saturday’s game, how have you reacted and was that as low as you've felt?

Agnew: “I think it was a low moment, it was something that I was really, really disappointed with initially, I've got to be honest. But I think you have to pick yourself up very quickly, I have to pick myself up, I have to pick the players up which is what I did. And from Sunday morning we had nothing but feedback, honest feedback to move forward and prepare for the Sunderland game.

Sunday meeting, how did it go?

Agnew: “It was good, it was healthy, it was to the point, we sat and we were honest in what we had witnessed on Saturday and we knew as a group that that was unacceptable, that it wasn't good enough, that we have to be better and then we move on and prepare for Sunderland.”

The feedback from the players towards you has been positive, you want to be a manager, do you hope this situation will make you rather than break you?

Agnew: “I think what we need is a reaction tomorrow night and there's no better game to have a reaction in front of a full house playing against your North-east rivals.”

Do you look back on last six games and think ‘should I have done something differently?’

Agnew: “You do assess things. I look back and, of course, the results have not gone as well as I would have expected, but I did see progression and the progression almost became difficult to understand on Saturday. That’s the disappointment I have. Equally I remain positive with it and looking forward to preparing for Sunderland.”

Are you still taking this on a game by game basis because there doesn’t seem to be much clarity surrounding your position?

Agnew: “It will never ever change. The Premier League is the biggest and best in the world and I think we can’t take our eye off the ball. My focus, our focus now, is towards the Sunderland match.”

Do you feel you could have done with greater clarity about your role/position from above?

Agnew: “No. It doesn’t really bother me. It’s just the situation what I came into. It was like ‘get on with it, enjoy it, do your best and win some football matches’. I have done everything but win a football match. That’s what I aim to do tomorrow night and I am sure we will get a massive reaction, put smiles back on faces and get three points against Sunderland.”

Do you feel like you have the support you could have asked for from behind-the-scenes?

Agnew: “Absolutely. In fact I couldn’t have asked for any more. Every single person that I pass, speak to, is very supportive. That is really encouraging from my point of view.”

Do you think it has helped or hindered there hasn’t been a statement about your position, and how long you are in charge for?

Agnew: “No. It really hasn’t. It’s the same answer to the same question really.  That’s fine by me. It’s about the next game, let’s get on with it and get the result. I remain positive …”

To outsiders, the fans, the media, people still wonder how long you are in charge for, though?

“I can understand the questions, but my answer is look … Sunderland. And that’s as far as I look ahead and we focus on that.”

18,000 season tickets sold, but the mood is down in the dumps, what can you say to the fans to encourage them?

Agnew: “What I would say is that the fans have been amazing this season, home and away, and we haven’t given them enough to smile about. We have won four matches all season and that’s nowhere near enough to be successful.

“Tomorrow night is a passionate night, a North-East derby, there will be 30,000 Teessiders inside the stadium and we have to give them something back. We have to put some smiles on their faces, let’s have lots of volume in the stadium and take the three points.”