Friday 17 November 2017 14:19, UK
Danny Higginbotham believes the "opportunities are endless" at Sunderland, if the new manager can get things right at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats are still managerless after sacking Simon Grayson last month, and sit bottom of the Sky Bet Championship table heading into the weekend.
Speaking on EFL Matters on Thursday night, Higginbotham said: "There's been no forward planning. If you spoke to supporters they'd say that the club is in a bit of a mess with the way things have been run, but [it could be] a manager's dream. The problem comes with all the other things you have to deal with.
"If they get the right appointment they can go from strength to strength. I'm not saying they'll get promoted but they can get out of harms way in terms of relegation, no doubt.
"But if you're the manager who gets it right then the opportunities are endless, and I think that's how a manager could be enticed there."
Higginbotham and presenter David Prutton were joined by Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst, who has been linked with the post at Sunderland.
Hurst admitted it was "flattering" to be among the names discussed for the job, but insisted he's concentrating on his current job, with the Shrews currently top of Sky Bet League One.
"It's a step up and it's a massive football club, but obviously at the moment I'm [focused] on the job I'm doing," he said. "But you never say never, it's flattering and credit to my players for the effort they've put in that you get linked to jobs like that."
Hurst also said he was surprised that an appointment hadn't yet been made at the Stadium of Light.
"Obviously there are some issues but I was very surprised because when someone is sacked so quickly after a game you're almost expecting the [next manager] to be announced the day after," he said.
"That's not been the case and there are a couple of clubs that haven't used this period as we'd all have expected to get someone in place, but there's been a losing habit there for a few seasons and sometimes it's hard to get out of that routine. The fans are there and there are still some really good players, but they've got to show a lot more than what they have done so far."
