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Craig Hignett has backed Jonathan Woodgate to succeed as a manager at Boro.

And the former Boro schemer has urged Woody to seize a golden opportunity at the Riverside.

The pair crossed swords in the dug-out on Sunday as Woodgate oversaw a 4-0 friendly win over Hartlepool.

Hignett is now in charge of the National League side and so knows the demands of the job.

And he knows Woodgate well too. He was assistant to Aitor Karanka at Boro while Woody was still playing.

“He’s got a fantastic opportunity at a great club with good players,” said Hignett, who shrugged off the idea that being a rookie was a major stumbling block.

“We’ve seen already with Frank Lampard what he did at Derby what a new manager can achieve - and he has got the Chelsea job now.

“Steven Gerrard has been a success at Rangers and turned the Newcastle job down too if reports are to be believed.

“And John Terry is getting mentioned with every other job too. If you have the ability you can succeed.

“For me Woody’s up there with them, he’s that calibre and if he does well with Middlesbrough you never know what can happen.

“First and foremost he has to do a good job at Middlesbrough and I think he’s got everything in his favour to do that and I wish him every success because he’s a top lad and I get on really great with Woody.

“So, yes, he has a tough job on his hands but I wish him all the best.”

Hignett believes Woodgate has been underestimated because he has been part of the furniture at Boro for so long and because of his easygoing Teesside demeanour. But there is more to him than that he said.

“You know him as Woody because he’s a normal lad, a normal Boro lad,” said Hignett. “There’s no edge to him, he’s not up himself.

“He’s just a normal lad who has been given a great opportunity and I don’t see any reason why he can’t make a success of it.

“He loves football he loves the football club, he knows football and I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for him.”

(Image: Simon Moore/Focus Images Ltd)

Hignett himself is enjoying his own dug-out role at Victoria Park having arrived via the scenic route.

He was assistant manager to Colin Cooper at Pools before joining Karanka in March 2014.

Hignett returned to the club as manager after the exit of Ronnie Moore in February 2016 but was axed less than a year later as results dipped.

But he returned, initially as director of football, during a takeover in March 2018 when ex-Boro defender Matthew Bates was boss.

And following another upheaval he became manager in January this year. And he is loving it.

(Image: Simon Moore/Focus Images Ltd)

“This is what I want to do, I’ve made no secret of that,” he said. “And I am really enjoying it.

“I’ve had a tough job and a budget to work to and money to save. We’ve been trying to get the club moving in the right direction and stable and we have done that.

“It’s in a really good place at the minute so I can concentrate on just sorting the football bits out which is what I want to do.”

And Hignett praised the Boro display after the comfortable 4-0 victory last weekend.

“I don’t think the score flattered them,” he said. “They were good. They were clinical.

“I thought the rotation in midfield was really good. When they attacked they went with purpose so, yes, I was impressed with them.

“They’ve got some good young players. Whether they are ready for the Championship I don’t know but mixed with that they’ve got some experience that knows what the Championship is all about.”