MIDDLESBROUGH chairman Steve Gibson has told caretaker boss Steve Agnew to expect to be still in charge for Saturday’s long trip to Norwich City, despite last night’s 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

After the events of Monday, when Gordon Strachan lost his job for Boro’s alarming form, Gibson has been assessing his options in the hope of making a quick appointment.

However, it has emerged that the chances of Tony Mowbray becoming Middlesbrough’s next manager are by no means certain, with nothing sealed despite interest on both sides.

As well as the fact that Mowbray is still being paid by Celtic under the terms of his ‘gardening leave’ agreement, he would also be keen to bring in his own backroom team.

But with Strachan’s goalkeeper coach Jim Blyth and his assistant Garry Pendrey also on ‘gardening leave’ from the Riverside Stadium, Gibson must also sort out their positions first.

The lack of activity on the Mowbray front has led to a flurry of movement at the bookmakers with regard to Strachan’s successor.

And while Mowbray remains the favourite, with some bookmakers former Bolton and West Brom manager Gary Megson’s odds have tumbled from 6-1 to 11-10.

There are a number of other candidates. While former Boro and England captain Paul Ince is an option, Norwich City manager Paul Lambert last night had his odds shortened considerably.

The man in temporary command, Agnew, however, refused to rule himself out of contention after last night’s defeat. He was adamant, though, that he is not even thinking about putting his name forward for the job.

“The chairman spoke with me on Monday,” said Agnew.

“He made a statement that tells you everything. I am in charge for the foreseeable future.

That is how I see it. We will be in tomorrow to prepare for Norwich.

“As a coach I am looking forward to working with the players. He did say to me take charge for the foreseeable future.

It maybe a cliche, one game at a time, but I didn’t want any distractions.”

Only goal difference keeps Middlesbrough out of the Championship’s bottom three following last night’s defeat at Nottingham Forest, courtesy of Lewis McGugan’s winner.

But Agnew, who handed a first appearance to 19-year-old midfielder Richie Smallwood, was encouraged by his players’ display.

“The players have been different class in terms of what we wanted,” said Agnew. “Had we nicked one first half it might have given us that belief to get in front.

“The players have to take belief from this performance.

Think about this performance.

It is up to myself, Mark Proctor to work with the players and give them the belief that we can go to Norwich and pick up the points that we need.”

He was, though, encouraged by Smallwood’s display.

“He was excellent in the middle.

We put him on to do a job and he did it very well.”

Agnew needs a response at Carrow Road on Saturday because Middlesbrough are looking more like relegation candidates than promotion hopefuls.

Middlesbrough are already 15 points shy of the second automatic promotion place, while they are also nine adrift of the top six.