Alan Curbishley today confirmed he won't be changing the style of management that has seen him build a successful reputation over fifteen years.
"I think there's been a lot of talk about body language etc," he said. "But I don't think people will expect me to be happy when I've won one game in 11. It affects everybody but since I've been a manager and done 15 years I've tried to keep it on an even keel: to not let my highs be too high and my lows be too low and I think that's the only way for me.
"People are different and that's the way I am. It's one thing the way you're perceived and it's another what you do and how you go about your job. I can't do anything about people scrutinizing everything and if they're looking at me it might mean they're not looking at the players.
"Around the training ground and everywhere else I've been my normal self and I was the same at Charlton. Nothing's been that different."
Curbs admitted that he accepted much of the criticism leveled at him in recent weeks, but that he is determined to keep fighting.
"I'm in charge of the club and have been for 11 games," he said. "The results haven't picked up. The brief was to get out of the bottom three and we're not out of the bottom three. The performances and the results haven't been there and as the person who's in charge of it up front you have to accept the criticism.
"There's been plenty of that. I think West Ham has probably received more publicity this season - and it's not finished yet - than they did last season. But you've got a big club, who's not doing it and a manager who's come in expecting to change things around and not doing it, so I understand it. Some of the things that have been written about me and the team are not right but there's not much I can do about that."
And, despite a difficult first few months, the Hammers boss hasn't once lamented his decision to take over as manager.
"I've never regretted taking the job, it ticked all the boxes for me," he said. "When I came in I saw my brief as a short term one to begin with, keeping the club in the Premiership, and a short term one after that.
"Because I know how big this club is and I know how big it can become. I had no hesitation in taking the job, obviously the league position is there but I knew that when I came in I have found that there are so many other things connected with the club.
"Everyone's hurting, everyone connected with the club.
All my family and friends are West Ham fans and I've realized
the intensity of what people think and how they feel. I know
exactly what's going on out there, I know exactly how people
are feeling and I'm desperate for it to change."