Boro needed a win to have any chance of staying up but they failed to keep their side of the deal, with Junior Stanislas grabbing the winner at Upton Park.

"I would like to stay, I think I've proven (myself) for the first two and a half years," Southgate said.

"Nothing has been discussed with the chairman, we have to sit down this week and plan more definitely what is going to happen. It will be a tough challenge and we'll have to improve.

"We're ready to make those changes because it clearly hasn't worked this year."

Southgate, however, is braced for his top players leaving the club.

"There will be personal agendas and as a club we will have to bring some money in to go forward," he said. "There are also situations I want to change. Inevitably, there will be big changes to the playing squad."

Carlton Cole grabbed the opener in the first half then Gary O'Neil equalised just after the restart, only for Stanislas' tame shot to squirm past Boro goalkeeper Brad Jones.

Southgate said: "We didn't have enough on the day. We told the players the scores to try to give them a lift. They didn't stop in the second half and this game was not the reason that we went down.

"Everyone is down in the dressing room but I told them they needed to understand the reasons why this happened. They have to learn from it.

"This last six months has been very hard but you have to go through these painful things to come out stronger and better.

"Tonight we'll grieve for what has happened but tomorrow we'll come out fighting."

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola felt his side may have grabbed a European place if Cole had been fit all season.

The striker scored on his return to the starting XI after a groin injury.

"He's made a difference for us at certain moments of the season and it is just a pity that we couldn't have him in the crucial moments," said Zola.

The Italian hopes Southgate will remain at Boro, adding: "I'm sure he will bounce back straight away, he is a very good manager and a very positive person."

Zola, meanwhile, is hopeful Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson will stay at the club.

"In the next few days there will be meetings and something will happen, I'm sure it will be something positive," Zola said.

"Matthew looks happy here to me and he wants to stay so it shouldn't be a problem."