STEVE WIGLEY has spoken of his intention to lead Saints beyond the end of this season.
Some were predicting the Saints head coach could lose his job regardless of the result against Pompey last week but, buoyed by the 2-1 win, Wigley has repeated his desire to stay in the St Mary's hotseat in the long-term.
"I've said all along I would be here, and I mean a lot longer than until the end of the season," he said.
"I speak to the chairman all the time but, last week, I asked people not to talk about me and about my future.
"After the Watford game, I didn't read a paper, I didn't put the television on.
"I became fully aware I must have been taking a lot of flak by the amount of messages I received.
"But you know what it is. It comes your way one week and then results change and it moves on to someone else."
Wigley, whose side are unbeaten in four Premiership matches, admits he is not hugely fond of being in the limelight but accepts it is part of his job.
"I came into football to coach, work with players, plan a week, enjoy the games and test yourself," he said.
"But, when I accepted the job, I was under no illusions that the pressures of the media and things like that went with it.
"The pressure doesn't go away with the national media and, if we don't get a result Saturday, I'm sure they'll be coming back.
"But that's life. As a group, we have stayed together.
"We are still in a position to improve - there's no two ways about that - and I always look forward to the games, because that's the only way you can go up the league.
"Every game becomes more important as it gives us an opportunity to improve.
"We'll approach this one the same we did the week before, knowing we'll have to play well."
Although Norwich are still searching for their first win in 13 matches since returning to the top-flight, Wigley is wary of their abilities and believes this game assumes even more importance than last week's memorable derby victory.
"We go to Norwich with the attitude that it is as important, if not more important, than last week," he said.
"I've seen Norwich a couple of times this season and they have acquitted themselves very, very well.
"They have been unfortunate - the Premier League is such a thin dividing line.
"I'm sure they will work very hard and we have to make sure we are not their first scalp.
"But we're not going to worry about the opposition, we're just concentrating on ourselves."
Of man-of-the-moment and 18-year-old five-goal top-scorer Dexter Blackstock, Wigley added: "I felt all along he'd come in before the end of the season but it's happened a bit earlier than we thought.
"His performances have been very good - he has applied pressure to every other striker at the club.
"He's in there on merit - a young boy - and it's something I'll have to manage.
"He was a substitute in the Carling Cup (at Watford) to make sure the midweek games didn't catch up with him. He looks lively, but he's got to keep working hard to keep on progressing.
"Providing he keeps his feet on the ground, I feel he'll improve with his age."
West Brom have agreed a settlement with assistant manager Frank Burrows, in charge at St Mary's earlier this month, after he turned down a position under new boss Bryan Robson.
Robson offered ex-Saints coach Burrows, who briefly took over from Gary Megson as caretaker boss, a job but he declined.
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