HAVING admitted he ‘lost the plot’ when Lewis Wing scored at Luton Town last weekend, Jonathan Woodgate cannot wait to discover how he will react if Middlesbrough find themselves competing at the top end of the Championship table.

Woodgate takes charge of his first competitive home game as Boro head coach today, with Brentford visiting the Riverside Stadium.

The Nunthorpe-raised Teessider expects it to be an emotional moment, and having celebrated wildly when Wing fired Middlesbrough into the lead at Kenilworth Road, admits there is a good chance his emotions will once again get the better of him.

Woodgate achieved some notable things as a player – playing for his country, winning domestic silverware and starring for Real Madrid – but while his managerial career is still in its infancy, he is already experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions that he thought he had left behind when he opted to hang up his boots.

“I can’t really remember what happened at Luton, but it (his reaction) was full of emotion and passion,” he said.

“It was an extraordinary feeling to see him (Wing) put that in the top corner. It was just raw emotion, but I’ve been with the club since I was six.

“I can’t describe the feeling, it was unbelievable. You only really get that feeling as a player if you have a barnstormer of a game.

“I’m not a striker, so I haven’t scored a hat-trick or in a World Cup, but that was a sensational feeling. God knows what it will be like if we do really well this season and end up at the top end.”

Woodgate’s professionalism will kick in this afternoon, and for all it will be a special occasion, the 39-year-old appreciates the need to start with a win.

“I will (have a moment) after the game, but not while it is on,” he said.

“Maybe when I’m walking out, I might think a few things, but after that I’ll be totally focused.”

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