Jonathan Woodgate lifts lid on the mood in the Middlesbrough dressing room and why there is reason to be positive

Third-bottom Boro have endured a difficult campaign and find themselves in the Championship relegation zone after 16 games, a point from safety.

Woodgate, in his first managerial role, remains confident he can turn the tide at the Riverside and says a strong and positive dressing room is key to that goal being reached – insisting he has a squad of ‘good characters’ desperate to turn the season round.

Middlesbrough have a free weekend as a result of the international break, a break they went into on the back of a 2-2 draw away at QPR, Britt Assombalonga with a brace.

Woodgate said: “There’s a lot of good characters in that dressing room who really want to do well. It’s a good group.

“For the situation we’re in, there’s no negativity.

“Everyone’s positive and on the same song sheet, and at times, you need that.

“You don’t want any negativity bringing you down, but all those players in there are really positive. That’s so important for me.”

Woodgate added: “If you’ve watched the last few games we’ve been good and should have won a couple of them.

“We haven’t and it’s something to build on and we’ve got positive players in that dressing room.”

Middlesbrough host Hull City at the Riverside in a lunchtime kick-off a week on Sunday.