Thursday 29 November 2018 13:43, UK
Southampton's former vice-chairman Les Reed is one of four on a shortlist of candidates to replace Dan Ashworth as technical director at the Football Association, Sky Sports News has learned.
The 'final four' is down to Wolves' sporting director Kevin Thelwell, ex-Rangers and Brentford boss Mark Warburton, and Ashworth's former colleague Matt Crocker - currently FA head of development - Sky Sports News understands.
Crocker arrived from Southampton in 2013 and is highly thought of at the FA, playing a key role in implementing Ashworth's 'England DNA' plan to ensure England teams of all age-groups shared the same coaching philosophy.
But also in the frame is Reed, who previously held the FA post between 2002 and 2004, after he was sacked by Southampton earlier this month following an eight-year stint on the south coast.
Warburton has also been doing work for the FA since leaving his job as manager at Nottingham Forest last year, and was in the frame for the Burnley technical director job before it was given to Mike Rigg.
Brighton-bound Ashworth is due to leave the FA technical director job in March 2019 to take up a similar position at the Amex Stadium, and the FA hope to secure his replacement before Christmas.
QPR's technical director and former England striker Les Ferdinand was interviewed for the job earlier in November but said the FA decided he was not the right man for the role "at this time".
