AS Middlesbrough supporters look forward to an FA Cup fifth round tie at West Ham United, Gareth Southgate has revealed that he isn’t enjoying life as Boro boss.

“I don’t have enormous enjoyment in the job,” he admitted.

“You think about the wins for half an hour and then you get on preparing for the next game.

“A win gives you renewed enthusiasm. It’s very hard to stand in front of players and supporters when results aren’t going your way.”

Southgate, asked if he was serious when he said that he didn’t enjoy his job, replied: “It’s a challenge that grips you. I am not able to back out of a challenge.

“There is something about it. You feel that you can do it.

There are a lot of good things we have put in over the past two and a half years.

“The size of the squad has been reduced and we have reduced the average age dramatically.

These are difficult times in general and we have to continue to adapt.’’ With no league wins since early November, Southgate recently admitted that his job could be under threat and he attempted to explain his comments.

“What I said last week (about facing the sack) was that I didn’t take anything for granted,’’ he admitted.

“I have a fantastic chairman and we talk all the time about how we can improve things and take things forward.

We don’t talk about change. That’s never ever mentioned.

“But I don’t want to take it that this is a given. That’s why we are constantly trying to improve and move forward.”

After admitting defeat in his bid to bring Crystal Palace midfielder Ben Watson to the Riverside, Southgate has resolved to remain tight-lipped over his future transfer targets.

“We have ideas but as soon as those ideas become public we lose players so I will be keeping that very close to my chest from now on.

“We think he (Watson) is joining Wigan. We are disappointed because we have done a lot of work over a couple of months towards that but that’s the way it goes sometimes,”

he said.

Boro looked to be in pole position to secure Watson’s signature after Palace boss Neil Warnock confirmed that a fee – around £2m – had been agreed.

But the Teessiders’ precarious position in the top-flight seems to have been a decisive factor in Watson’s decision with Wigan ten points and as many league places head of Boro.

“He’s a good kid and we would have liked to have signed him but we move on,”

said Southgate, who may revive his interest in Burnley midfielder Chris Eagles. He has been on Boro’s radar for some time.