Middlesbrough FC news: Ex-Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips is taking encouragement from Rangers, Chelsea and Boro appointments

Phillips, who has coached at Leicester, Derby County and Stoke City since retiring as a player in 2014, now believes he’s ready for his first managerial role.

The 46-year-old has openly admitted he’d love the chance to take charge of the Black Cats, who are looking to make a swift appointment following the sacking of Jack Ross last week.

Like Woodgate, Phillips’ former England team-mates, Frank Lampard (Derby and Chelsea) and Steven Gerrard (Rangers) have also received their first chances in management recently, and Phillips believes their experiences as players will help in the dugout.

“I think it’s great,” said Phillips when asked about their appointments. “These players have had so much experience, they’ve won everything, they’ve done everything.

“As a young player coming through in the squad, if you’ve got a gaffer in front of you that has been there, seen it and done it, and that’s no disrespect to anyone else, I would want to learn off that.

“That’s not to say I wouldn’t hang on to a Jose Mourinho because he is a great coach, but it’s something different when you know they have been there, because you can ask them different questions.”

Pallister backs Boro boss – Meanwhile, club legend Gary Pallister says Woodgate deserves credit for trying to change Middlesbrough’s style of play.

The Teessiders have endured a stuttering start to the campaign, winning just two of their 11 league games so far.

Yet Pallister says Boro supporters might have to be patient with their new boss.

“I saw some of the earlier games this season and Boro are trying to play a more expansive style,” Pallister told Bonus Code Bets.

“What I saw in that early part of the season was a team trying to excite the fans, trying to play a style of play that is attractive and to score goals.

"And hopefully the fans are patient. The Championship is a dog eat dog league, anyone can beat anyone and it’s been like that for a long time. No team runs away with it.”