Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has insisted that it is "business at usual" at the club despite ongoing speculation surrounding his future.
The Potters have lost five and won just one of their last seven outings to slip into the Premier League's relegation zone, while they also have the worst defensive record in the division.
Reports have suggested that the Stoke board are considering ending Hughes's four-and-a-half-year stay at the club, but the Welshman insists that the issue was not discussed at a meeting with the hierarchy today.
"Why would I seek [backing]? I don't need it. From my point of view, it's business as usual. I didn't attempt to ask the owners about my future. I went there with the sole purpose of getting an understanding of what we're doing in January and that's what I got. It was a good meeting and one we can move forward from," he told reporters.
"I don't know what they are thinking. Maybe you guys are suggesting we are in a different moment, a different place now, but in terms of the communication I have with the owners and they have with me, that hasn't changed. I would be disappointed if they weren't up front and honest. That's the type of people they are. It's a difficult situation for everybody but they don't want their team to fail, they don't want their appointments to fail. They back good people with ability and let them get on with the job and that's what they've always done here.
"I can be hit over the head with results and stats, which is what happens, but there's reasons and we can address all of them for the most part. Other areas and other reasons need to be looked at so we can be stronger in the second half so that's what we'll try and do. Yes, there will be a little bit of pressure but I've been at it for a long time, seen most things, experienced these periods before and come out really strongly on the other side, and that's our intention this time.
"There's a little bit too much negativity in my view. It's not gone away as readily as it should have done on occasions, it's still been in the background just waiting to come out again and unfortunately last weekend we allowed it to come out. I don't think it's a huge disconnect with everybody. I don't think everybody wants us to fail. Surely if you are a Stoke supporter you don't want your club to struggle. They should take comfort from the fact there's good people working on the club's behalf."
Stoke are back in action on Saturday when they take on Coventry City in the FA Cup third round.
Barney Corkhill
