Give Gareth the job urges Danny

DANNY Mills believes the FA should appoint Gareth Southgate as England manager “as soon as possible”, and on the same terms Sam Allardyce was offered the job.

After an unbeaten fourgame run as interim manager, Southgate is widely expected t o be appointed on a permanent basis in the coming weeks but Mills cannot understand suggestions his contract may differ to that given to his predecessor Allardyce.

The retired defender played alongside Southgate for both England and Middlesbrough, and was consistently impressed by both his diligence and natural leadership abilities.

He also dismissed suggestions the 46-yearold is too nice to succeed.

“Gareth should be appointed as soon as possible,” Mills. “The job h e ’s d o n e h a s b e e n impeccable.

“Does he lack a little bit of experience? Possibly, and he’d probably say that by his own admission. Does the j ob come a little bit soon? Possibly. But right now we don’t have a better candidate available.

“He’s made big decisions: a lot of people say he’s too nice. Yes, he’s an absolute gentleman, and very articulate, intelligent, but he’s got an edge.

“You don’t captain every club you’ve been at, get 50-odd caps for England, if you’ve been a pushover. He knows when he needs to stamp his authority, and he will do that.

“I’m a little bit surprised by the FA, it’s just been dragged out a little bit. They made these decisions under Sam Allardyce — the money for the job — surely you just give him the same contract as Sam Allardyce.

“It’s not about who gets the job. It’s ‘This is the job, this is what you do, how much it’s worth, the length of contract’.”

Former England defender Danny Mills.