Queens Park Rangers are gearing up for their final fixture before the international break, as they take on Jonathan Woodgate's Middlesbrough at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this Saturday.

The R's come back off a 2-0 defeat to high flying Leeds United, and will want to bounce back after losing ground on the playoffs due to their last two defeats.

One of Mark Warburton's star players, Ryan Manning, has been one of the best in the current squad, scoring one goal and providing three assists in fifteen games for the R's.

However, the Irish international was not originally a left-back, and was more suited to midfield.

As reported in The Kilburn Times, Manning has stated that other senior professionals at the club such as Angel Rangel and Lee Wallace have given him the guidance and confidence to help to make the position his own.

Manning told QPR's Loftcast podcast:

"Coming in and playing a relatively new position was a lot to learn for me. The likes of Angel [Rangel]and Lee [Wallace] who are full-backs and have played so many games at the top level, you can pick up little tips here and there."

"I was relatively new to the position so it's good having someone like Lee come in who has played in Scotland at the highest level, played so many games and played for Scotland in big games throughout his career."

The Verdict

This could be one of the secrets to Manning's success at left-back, as Angel Rangel and Lee Wallace are excellent examples of mentors to learn from.

The Irishman is one of the first names on the team sheet for QPR, and at 23-years-old, still has plenty of time to develop.