JONATHAN Woodgate revealed he had spoken regularly with Burnley boss Sean Dyche during his time in charge of Middlesbrough, adding: "The information he gave me was very good and I still take it with me to this day."

The two managers are set to go head-to-head for the first time tomorrow, when Woodgate takes caretaker charge of Cherries at Turf Moor in the FA Cup.

But the 41-year-old explained how that would not be the first time the two have crossed paths before, at least in a virtual sense.

"I’ve never managed against him, but on the phone he was always there for me when I was manager with Middlesbrough," Woodgate said of Dyche.

"He’d always give me advice, always speak to me on the phone, pick the phone up whenever. There was a time when Ben Gibson came to Middlesbrough last season and I spoke to him often on the phone as well. So he’s a really good guy, offered me great advice when I was managing.

"When I was managing he did, not so much when I was out of management. But in management he was superb with me.

"That information will stay between me and him, but the information he gave me was very good and I still take it with me to this day."

Discussing the challenge of facing Dyche's Burnley for a spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Woodgate added: "Credit where credit’s due, what he’s done with that Burnley team has been absolutely unreal to be honest with you, because he’s kept them in the league over the years and they’re a good bunch of players.

"He has them playing well, 4-4-2 formation and when every team goes to Burnley, they know what they’re going to be in for, a difficult game.

"Sometimes he gets criticised but he just carries on and keeps Burnley in the Premier League."

Despite their lack of goals in the top flight this season, Woodgate is wary of the attacking threat Burnley pose.

He said: "I’ve watched (Matej) Vydra throughout his career, I played against (Jay) Rodriguez before and you’ve got (Ashley) Barnes, who is probably one of the underrated forwards in the Premier League. He is a handful to play against. He closes from the front, he gives them that battling spirit."

And Woodgate is relishing the opportunity to manage in the famous cup competition.

Asked for his earliest FA Cup final memories, the Nunthorpe-born coach said: "I think it was Everton v Liverpool, back in the day. That would’ve been the one that I remember.

"It’s just when you’re a school kid and on the playground and you always want to play in an FA Cup final and be involved in the FA Cup."