TWO years ago English managers appeared to be a dying breed as far as the Premier League was concerned, with just three top flight bosses born in this country.

But from the low point of 2012/13, English bosses are back in vogue, and at the moment nine of the 20 Premier League managers are home grown.

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Two of those will go head to head at Turf Moor on Saturday, as Sean Dyche welcomes his Swansea counterpart Garry Monk to East Lancashire.

They crossed paths on numerous occasions as gnarled central defenders in their playing careers, but it is in the dugout where both have shot to prominence, with 43-year-old Dyche and 35-year-old Monk both enjoying success with their respective clubs over the last two seasons.

They shared the Goals on Sunday sofa together at the end of last season, and got on well, and Dyche is impressed with the way Monk has got Swansea playing following the departure of Michael Laudrup just over a year ago.

“He’s doing a good job,” Dyche said. “When we got promoted last year I did Goals on Sunday with him and we got on quite well. I chatted with him and he hadn’t long been in post.

“He’d had a few ups and downs and different groups and different players he’s had to deal with.”

Since taking permanent charge at the Liberty Stadium in the summer, Monk has had success in the job.

He has coped admirably with the loss of top scorer Wilfried Bony to Manchester City, winning away at Southampton and at home to Manchester United since the 26-year-old’s £28million move.

“Slowly but surely he’s got it to a group who work together and have done really well,” said Dyche.

“I like him as a bloke, he was a good player as well, and he was always a solid player as well.

“He’s doing a good job, it’s a good group of players there I think, but he’s putting his little twists and tweaks on it to make it his.”

The Swans finished 12th in the Premier League last season, with the highlight a 3-0 win over South Wales rivals Cardiff.

Chairman Huw Jenkins handed Monk a three-year deal in the summer and that faith has been rewarded, with Swansea ninth this season - having completed the double over United last weekend.

Jenkins may have taken a gamble in giving an unproven British manager the job after Laudrup’s departure, but Dyche is pleased to see his counterparts get their chance, although he insists they have to earn it as well.

As well as Dyche and Monk, Sam Allardyce, Nigel Pearson, Steve Bruce, Alan Pardew, John Carver, Chris Ramsey and Tim Sherwood are all in charge at Premier League clubs now, compared to just Allardyce, Pardew and Harry Redknapp in the final few months of the 12/13 season.

“It’s nice to see because it must bode well, somewhere down the line, for the game at large if you’ve got British managers and coaches all working at the top level or as many working at the top level, it must have a knock on effect somewhere down the line,” said the Burnley boss.

“I’m more pleased about that.”