Southgate happy to battle on with Boro

Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu moved from Aston Villa to Middlesbrough motivated by a desire to win trophies and play in Europe.

Ehiogu fell out with Villa boss John Gregory and left the club at the end of last season, while Boro captain Southgate felt that he had become stale and switched allegiances in the summer for £7million.

Two months into the season, their decisions do not look so wise. Gregory has inspired a mini revival at Villa Park and his team are on the fringe of the Champions League race.

Boro, on the other hand, are struggling for any consistency and languishing in 14th place in the Premiership.They did manage to keep their second clean sheet in nine League matches in the drab 0-0 draw at Charlton thanks largely to the two central defenders. Ehiogu believes that there is an awful lot of hard work still to be done down at The Riverside.

He said: 'The squad obviously is the problem. You need to strengthen to stay ahead and we are no different. Sometimes you have to take a step back before you move forward and, hopefully, it will not be too long before we are back on track and able to compete for things on a regular basis.' Southgate does not regret his transfer and feels that he can still fulfil his domestic and international ambitions with Boro.

'I don't think that being in the north-east will affect my chances of playing for England,' said Southgate.

'If you are playing well enough then you have a chance of achieving anything. I have kept my place in the England squad for the past six years and I will keep trying to stay in until the World Cup.' Alen Boksic showed that a string of injuries since his move to Teesside have not dulled his football brain. The Croat combined well with substitute Carlos Marinelli in the second half and both should have capitalised on several openings - the best on 58 minutes when Boksic shot narrowly wide. Charlton boss Alan Curbishley said: 'We were a surprise package last season but that is not the case any more.'