By Betting Zone
March 31 2007

Former England defender Gareth Southgate has backed Steve McClaren to survive a tide of criticism following his side's hard-fought victory over Andorra.

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McClaren was left in little doubt as to the mood of the travelling fans in Barcelona on Wednesday night as three second-half goals and the points they secured did little to quell unrest in the stands at the Olympic Stadium.

However, Southgate, the man who replaced the Yorkshireman as Middlesbrough boss when he left the Riverside Stadium for Soho Square, believes the abuse his predecessor has received is not helping the situation.

He said: "He is a strong guy. He has got to get results on the field and he could do no more last night than get the team to win 3-0.

"It is a 90-minute game - it does not matter whether they win it in the first 45 minutes or over 90.

"Usually in those sort of games, it is towards the end of the game that you get the result.

"That is the England job, that is playing for England and managing England these days.

"We have to question whether we are helpful to our national team in the long run because I think we heap pressure on to them.

"Players want to perform anyway for their country and mangers want to achieve things for their country, and at the moment as a nation, we make it more difficult for people to produce their best."

Southgate is on record in admitting that in an ideal world, the man who replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson would have had more experience than either McClaren or Sam Allardyce and Alan Curbishley, two of the other names high on the FA's shortlist.

However, since his appointment, he has backed his former manager and admits he had great sympathy for him after Wednesday night's game.

He said: "You have to because aside of any experience in football, as a human being, you would have to feel for what people are going through in those sort of situations.

"Of course, having been away with England myself, I can relate to it even more closely.

"Playing for England is always very, very difficult. I thought Steven Gerrard spoke very well after the game last night - sometimes, it is a horrible situation to be in.

"I do not think during the game, anything adverse to the team helps them. They are going out there to try to win the game.

"It is obvious from their performance that confidence is low and they are not able to express themselves as they would like.

"But they got the result in the end, they got four points from the weekend - obviously they would have liked six, but it is still all in their hands in the group."

McClaren was not alone in receiving criticism from both England fans and the media with winger Stewart Downing once again finding himself in the firing line.

Middlesbrough's evening newspaper, the Evening Gazette, have also defended its local hero's contribution under the headline "Stew's no scapegoat".

Southgate said: "He realised a little while ago that is part and parcel of playing for England.

"He is in a far more confident mood because of the way he has been playing for us and because of the feeling he has got when he comes back, it has far less of an effect on him.

"He is gaining that experience. Nothing can prepare you really for the sort of night they all endured last night, but they will all be stronger people for it."

Boro full-back Andrew Taylor, who has followed Downing through the ranks into the first team, was also quick to leap to his defence.

He said: "I do not know where it is coming from because personally last night, I thought he was one of England's best players. He was attacking and going at the defenders.

"I do not know what it is, but he does seem to get a lot of stick.

"He has got the right people around him, family, friends and staff here, who will help him through it, but I do not think it will affect him too much."

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By Bettingzone.co.uk - Used with permission.

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