THE task of succeeding George Burley should go to an elder statesman and not an up-and-coming manager.

I've had enough of the likes of Glenn Hoddle and Gordon Strachan using the club as a stepping stone.

Managers do not seem to stay with Southampton for more than two or three years these days and it's not going to be easy to get the right man.

I've been racking my brain to think who should come in but an older manager who has all the credentials would be a good choice.

I certainly do not see any sense in bringing in Paul Ince. Nick Holmes would not be the right man either.

I know Nick fairly well as our careers overlapped very briefly - he came on for me when I made what transpired to be my last appearance for Saints at Burnley in 1974.

That was only Nick's second appearance for Southampton and he went on tomake nearly asmany as I did.

He obviously knows Lawrie McMenemy well but if he was appointed I would be worried because he does not have any league management experience.

Having someone who loves the club as much as Nick does would be lovely and he certainly fits the bill in terms of his passion for the Saints.

He is also loyal but were he to be appointed it would smack of Lawrie giving jobs to the boys and I hope it does not come to that.

I'm sure Jason Dodd and John Gorman will do a good job in a caretaker capacity and, who knows, they may yet get the job on a full-time basis.

But promoting a number two has not always proved successful.

We have seen Sammy Lee and Chris Hutchings fail to successfully succeed Sam Allardyce and Steve Bruce at Bolton and Wigan this season.

And we all know what happened when Southampton appointed Stuart Gray and Steve Wigley.

Some people are natural assistants but Micky Adams would be a good choice.

He is a bit older now and may not be as ambitious as he was.

Enjoying some stability at the club he played for more times than any other could suit both parties.

Adams would be preferable to Coleman.

I get the impression that the former Fulham manager wants to manage a Premiership club again as soon as possible.

He knows what he wants, as he showed by resigning at Real Sociedad recently, but he is a bit too ambitious for Southampton at the moment.

Don't get me wrong, the last thing I want is mid-table mediocrity. But we also need stability.

As for George Burley, I know a lot of Southampton fans are glad he's gone but I've always thought he is a very good coach and him getting the Scotland job proved it.