I'm not fighting for my job insists Brown

Hull boss Phil Brown takes his side into a crucial game with Wigan tomorrow insisting he does not feel his job is on the line.

Brown has been the focus of fans' ire after a poor start to the season but has been strongly backed by the club to turn the situation around.

Hull are 19th in the Barclays Premier League with just four points from seven games but their dismal run stretches back to last December, since when they have won just twice in the competition.

Brown said: "I think I have got a good support mechanism in terms of management staff and in terms of the chairman and the owners.

"As far as I am concerned, until they say different, no I am not fighting for my job.

"As far as I am concerned there is a lot more to achieve at this football club."

Last week's 6-1 thrashing at Liverpool turned up the heat on Brown and he now faces a crucial month with games against Fulham, Portsmouth and Burnley following Wigan's visit to the KC Stadium.

Brown said: "A lot has been made of the month, a lot made of the six games coming up.

"But of the six coming up, they mean nothing unless you win the first one.

"We are not getting away from the first game - we are not looking further than Wigan. It is an important game for us.

"We are looking at going into the international break by getting something from this game, and carrying that into the remaining games in October."

Hull have the worst defensive record in the Premier League having conceded 19 goals, while Everton also scored four past them in the Carling Cup last week.

Their problems have seen them linked with the England defender Sol Campbell, who could be available in January after leaving Sven-Goran Eriksson's Notts County, but Brown is not entertaining such thoughts.

Brown said: "I spoke to Sol in the summer. We had a good long conversation about his ambition and his future and where he wants to be, but Sven did a better job than me.

"As far as I am concerned we are what we are, we have what we've got and we have to work with it."

Brown has varied his training methods this week in an attempt to stimulate his team and has said he will not shirk "tough decisions with regards to team selection".

Defender Paul McShane, who joined the club from Sunderland in August, admits there has been a lot of soul-searching in the last few days.

The Republic of Ireland international said: "It's been a long old week. We were very disappointed at Liverpool, to get beaten 6-1, and there has been a lot of work done on the training ground. You could say it has been tough.

"The manager's not happy and a lot of us aren't happy.

"We have just got to do things right and that's what we have been trying to do this week.

"It is basic things we are not getting right. They are key in the game, if you don't get them right you are in big trouble.

"The defenders do get the brunt of the blame - but that is part of the job.

"Any defender is going to be under scrutiny if you concede six goals.

"We have got to take responsibility, but as a team as well we have got to take responsibility."

Wigan will travel to the KC Stadium in high spirits having stunned then leaders Chelsea at the DW Stadium last weekend.

"They are a good side and have got some good players," McShane, 23, added. "They will be fully confident and coming here looking to get a win. It should be an interesting game."