Caretaker boss Ian Baraclough would be interested in taking the Scunthorpe job on a permanent basis.
Caretaker boss would welcome permanent appointment
Scunthorpe's caretaker boss Ian Baraclough would be interested in taking the manager's job on a permanent basis.
The first-team coach, 39, has been placed in temporary charge following Nigel Adkins' defection to Southampton and is preparing his men for Tuesday's trip to Sheffield United.
Baraclough finished his playing career with the Iron in 2008 and took up a coaching role after making 149 appearances for the club.
"I've never hidden the fact one day I would like to be a manager," he said.
"I never anticipated it would be as soon as this but if the job is offered to me it would have to be something I would seriously consider.
Right place, right time
"You never choose the time when you go into management. It's just a case of being in the right place at the right time. Maybe it's time now."
Meanwhile, midfielder Michael O'Connor has hailed Adkins for the job he has done at Glanford Park and predicts he will enjoy similar success at Southampton.
In just under four years at the helm, the former Iron physio steered Scunthorpe into the Championship on two occasions before taking up the challenge of repeating the trick with Southampton.
And O'Connor, who was signed by Adkins from Crewe in July 2009, accepts the chance to manage a sleeping giant like Southampton was too good for Adkins to refuse.
"I am sad to see him go because he has done wonders at this football club, but after five years here I think he needed a new challenge," he told
skysports.com.
"I think he felt that he took Scunthorpe as far as he could and Southampton is a bigger club with a lot of ambitions.
"They will be looking to return to the Premier League within five years, so I can see why he felt the need to take this opportunity.
Adkins faith
"Their chairman has got a lot of money and Nigel has proven that he can do well in League One, having steered this club into the Championship twice before.
"So, if he gets the backing from the chairman and fans there, I can't see any reason why he can't get them into the Championship sooner or later."
The Iron's 2-0 defeat to Bristol City on Saturday was largely overshadowed by Southampton's pursuit of Adkins, but O'Connor insists that the issue played no part in their third Championship loss of the season.
"We all knew the situation because Nigel told us all that he was still Scunthorpe United manager and that we all had a job to do against Bristol City," he said.
"We trained as normal and prepared in the same way we always do and it was only on Sunday night when he called and text us all to let us know that he was moving to Southampton.
"I wish him all the best and that was unfortunately the end of that chapter for this club."
