DETERMINED Burnley manager Owen Coyle is eyeing an extended run in another cup competition.

The wily Scot has already guided the Clarets to the Carling Cup semi-final this season, with the first leg against Tottenham Hotspur to be played at White Hart Lane next Tuesday.

But when Saturday brings his second taste, as manager, of the FA Cup, as Burnley travel to Queens Park Rangers for the second time this season, Coyle is not prepared to spare his small squad extra games by bowing out at the first hurdle.

“We’ve enjoyed the Carling Cup, and it would be nice to have a run in the FA Cup as well,” he said ahead of this weekend’s third round tie.

“Home or away we go and try to win, and that’s what we’ll look to do.

“Queens Park Rangers are probably the same in that they would have loved to have been playing a team from another division, whether it was higher or lower, because there is a freshness about it, rather than another Championship side.

“But we’ve been to London on a few occasions and we’ll go there again, looking to be positive.

“It’s going to be a difficult game because they’re a quality side.”

QPR are under new management since Burnley’s last visit to Loftus Road in November, three days after they had dumped Chelsea out of the Carling Cup fourth round on penalties.

Gareth Ainsworth was in caretaker charge for the final time as the Clarets came from behind to run out 2-1 winners with goals from Robbie Blake and Alan Mahon.

Now Coyle is looking forward to going head to head with two-time Champions League winner Paulo Sousa, who was appointed the following week after a spell as assistant to Portugal head coach Carlos Queiroz.

“Paulo has come in and made an impression. I met him two months ago at Gleneagles when we were both on a coaching thing and he’s a very nice man,” said Coyle of the former Portugal midfielder.

“He won the Champions League twice, back-to-back, so that shows you what a good player he was, and I’m pretty sure he’ll look to transfer that into management.

“It will be tough, but we’re looking forward to it.”

Coyle is forced to make defensive changes with left back Stephen Jordan suspended for accumulating five bookings, while captain Steven Caldwell starts the first of a two-match ban following his second red card of the season in Sunday’s defeat to Doncaster Rovers.