GARETH SOUTHGATE last night admitted he is determined to put his World Cup disappointments behind him.

The Middlesbrough defender did not kick a ball in anger for England during their Far East adventure this summer. And Southgate revealed that he never actually thought he was going to play a major part in the competition held in Japan and South Korea.

"When you're not in the side at the beginning you know as a defender you're not going to be part of it, so it is hard," said the Boro skipper, who had to watch on as England lost to Brazil at the quarter-finals stage.

"But I've learned a lot from being there. If I become a manager I know how players feel in a situation like that.

"You come back feeling as though you've not really taken part, even though you've had a great experience in going to a part of the world I probably wouldn't go to and being in a special tournament.

"The players not involved did not cause problems, they supported the team, it was a good squad that way.

"The major tournaments I've been to - '96 was great for me, '98 injured and the last two I've not really been involved in so I want to be involved, I've got a really strong desire to do that.

"I hope to stay a part of it. I don't think I did anything in June to put myself out of the frame!"

Despite Southgate's failure to claim a starting place in Sven-Goran Eriksson's team - ahead of Arsenal's Sol Campbell and Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand - he is not ready to turn his back on the international scene.

At 31, the centre-back is convinced he is playing his best football since making his professional debut for Crystal Palace in August 1992.

"I never considered retiring," said Southgate, capped 49 times by his country. "I feel I'm playing as well now as at any stage of my career so there's no reason to feel I couldn't do the job at that level.

"I was very close to being part of the starting team in the summer and the two centre-halves ahead of me are recognised as being two of the best in the world.

"There were stories that Martin Keown was going to retire but I'm not sure that's the case. He's a little older than me and I've seen him play a couple of times this season and he's playing just as well."

Southgate leads Boro out against Blackburn Rovers at the Riverside this afternoon, determined to put his side's Fulham failings behind him.

Two-goals to the good and just a minute to play seven days' ago against the Cottagers and the Teesside outfit let their lead slip, having to settle for a point.

And now Southgate hopes Boro can claim their first victory of the season against a tricky Rovers side.

"We've spent most of the week tearing the Fulham game to pieces," he said. "What we could have done better. We've got over it. We did well for 89 minutes then the wheels came off.

"We kept a clean sheet for 178 minutes at the start of the season and then did not deal very well with two situations.

"Blackburn's front six are very hard to play against, and the two strikers (Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole) have played together for years and know one another well. Two good wide players in David Dunn and Damien Duff, so they have a lot of attacking options for them. It should be an open game."

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