Wednesday 20 July 2016 21:37, UK
Sam Allardyce's former assistant, Phil Brown, thinks the experience his former boss has accumulated makes him the "prime candidate" to take charge of England.
And Brown says a repeat of the limp defeat to Iceland which ended England's Euro 2016 participation would be unlikely under Allardyce.
Currently in charge of Sunderland, Allardyce is expected to be named the new England manager within the next 24 hours.
And Southend boss Brown, who was Allardyce's assistant at Bolton between 1999-2005, says the FA have definitely made the right choice.
Brown told Sky Sports News HQ: "He applied for the [England] job when he was at Bolton Wanderers. When he didn't get the job, I was bitterly disappointed for him, because I thought he was the right candidate then.
"My opinion is quite simple. I have worked with the man, I understand the man, and I think he is absolutely the prime candidate for the job at this moment in time.
"I am not a big believer in going down the foreign line again and, when the English names started coming out, there was only one man in it for me."
Asked to elaborate on the qualities that made Allardyce the best man for the job, Brown said: "I think the experience he brings to the party, handling big players, knowing exactly what to do in any given circumstance.
"That is where we let ourselves down in the Euros. The game against Iceland, I thought we looked devoid of ideas, it looked as if we did not have a gameplan.
"Sam would never go into a game without a gameplan and certainly a change of plan, if something went wrong.
"He will jump at the chance to take his beloved England to wherever he needs to take them."
The appointment of Allardyce may spark speculation that Brown could be brought into the England set-up, or even be a candidate for the Sunderland job.
"I have managed at the highest level and it would not faze me in the slightest, either one of those appointments," said Brown.
"But at the same time I have got a job to do at Southend and, until someone comes knocking, it is a no-brainer, I stay where I am."
