Hull City midfielder Nicky Barmby believes former Middlesbrough teammate Gareth Southgate will emerge a better manager from this season's relegation battle.
He said: "Well, it sounds daft but it's all an experience for him. If he comes out of this he'll obviously be a very good manager and a better manager for it. Hopefully it's not at our expense.
"I'm a Hull City player and I'm bothered about what we do. Our main goal at the start of the season was to stay in the Premiership. We know it's going to be hard but we're looking forward to the challenge. Like the manager (Phil Brown) said, he'd have taken this at the start of the season. It's in our own hands.
"But I don't think you can say that a win there (Middlesbrough) makes us safe.
"This year is so exciting for neutrals but nerve-jangling for fans, players and managers. But we just need to keep picking up the points and we've got an opportunity on Saturday. Obviously Middlesbrough have got some good players but we have to make those players make mistakes and obviously then their fans get jittery."