Gareth Southgate has completed his first year in football management and, as he told Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson, the learning curve has been far steeper than he ever thought imagineable

MAY 2005, and Gareth Southgate is watching the Champions League final with his family. As AC Milan roar into a three-goal lead against Liverpool, the Middlesbrough defender sends his six-year-old daughter, Mia, to bed with the Anfield club's fate seemingly sealed.

The following morning, with Liverpool having completed one of the greatest footballing comebacks of all time, Southgate is forced to explain the error of his ways.

"That's why daddy won't be a manager," joked the England centre-half. Two years later and Southgate's judgment of his managerial qualities, like his assessment of Liverpool's half-time chances, is looking seriously skewed.

Sitting in the Rockliffe Park canteen on Tuesday morning, the 36-year-old was able to reflect on a managerial baptism that has silenced most of the critics who were predicting his impending downfall last summer.

Thrust into the Riverside hotseat when both Terry Venables and Martin O'Neill turned down the opportunity to succeed Steve McClaren, Southgate was instantly condemned as too inexperienced, too unqualified and too nice to manage in the Premiership.

Twelve months later, though, and while his portfolio of qualifications remains incomplete, his managerial education has come on apace.

The likes of Paul Jewell and Neil Warnock might have taken themselves out of the firing line since the end of last season but, when it comes to carving out a career in Premiership management, Southgate is clearly at Middlesbrough to stay.

"I've learned more than I could ever have imagined," said the Boro boss, who ended his maiden managerial campaign with one more point than the current England manager garnered in the previous season.

"It's been a massive, massive challenge, but I've enjoyed it. It's taken me out of my comfort zone and it's really spurred me on to make a success of things.

"As a player, I knew what was required of me but, here, I'm facing new challenges and new experiences every day.

"As a player, I knew that things were always going to go downhill eventually. As a manager, the challenge is to build things up and you don't know how far that could take you."

On the evidence of this season's efforts, it could take Southgate to the very top of the managerial tree.

When chairman Steve Gibson promoted the former Middlesbrough skipper to his first managerial job last summer, he knew he was catapulting him into the heart of a brewing storm.

Last season's thrilling UEFA Cup run had masked major deficiencies within the Middlesbrough squad and, while the likes of Mark Viduka, Stewart Downing and Ayegbeni Yakubu provided a bedrock of talent, new recruits were always going to be at a minimum following years of high expenditure under McClaren.

"We handed Gareth a poisoned chalice last summer, there's no doubt about that," admitted Gibson, a chairman whose loyalty to Southgate remained unshakeable throughout the protracted wrangling over his lack of a Pro Licence. "But I'm delighted with what he's achieved.

"In some ways, we owe him an apology as a club, because we've asked an awful lot of him.

"He took the job at a difficult moment in our history, with an ageing squad and after a very difficult season, but he's taken all that in his stride and we're very proud of him.

"It was a very brave decision for him to take the job and I think he's learned a hell of a lot this year.

"I told Gareth that this year was all about making sure we stayed up and that anything else was a bonus. We achieved that."

In addition, Southgate also managed to slowly alter the mindset of a squad that had become accustomed to using negativity as a default setting.

Under McClaren, the Riverside had become a wearying place to be. On the field, risk-taking was akin to heresy and damage limitation had become a mantra that was trotted out at every available opportunity. Off it, as a result, Middlesbrough's supporters had grown disillusioned and detached.

Southgate's biggest challenge, therefore, was to persuade his players to express themselves. His words haven't always been heeded, but on occasions such as January's 5-1 win over Bolton, April's 4-1 rout of Watford or March's thrilling FA Cup double-header with Manchester United, it has been possible to discern evidence of the direction in which Southgate's Middlesbrough are headed.

"We have taken on some of the big boys and had good results," said the Boro boss. "That has been very enjoyable and a very good experience.

"But, for me, the best thing has been watching the team start to develop and become more of an attacking unit. We've started to score goals again, and that has been pleasing.

"It hasn't always happened, and the sight of the players starting to go back into their shells, reverting to how they used to be when they felt that they couldn't express themselves, was disappointing.

"They've been hurt before in defeats and I've had to remind them that going out and expressing themselves is the best way for them to win matches.

"They're starting to realise that they have the freedom to go out there and perform, and the next challenge will be to keep them thinking that way next season."

First, though, comes the summer, and Southgate expects to be busy improving a squad that he concedes is light in "one or two areas".

This time last year, he was preparing to travel to Germany as a co-commentator at the World Cup finals before jetting off with his family for a well-deserved break. Twelve months on, and the beach will have to wait.

"If other managers say they can switch off, I just don't see what they're talking about," said Southgate. "No matter what else you're doing, your mind begins to drift.

"Even though it's the summer, I'm still getting reports on the season we've had and recommendations of how we can change things. I'm thinking about how we can change the way we can play, how we can change the way we train, and who we can bring in to improve things.

"It never stops and that's a huge drain on your time and the time of your family."

For someone who once claimed they were not cut out to be a manager, Southgate is clearly prepared to give his new career a pretty good go.