catcherintherye
Player Valuation: £80m
Would understand it if they viewed him as a future manager but not sure how long they can keep deferring that...
This is it for me. The question may also be, if the plan is for him to take over is there really ever going to be a better moment than this summer? He has a whole summer to prepare. Has been learning for 5 years. The club finished 31 points above the drop zone (the biggest in 7 years and 3rd biggest in the last 30). It is not mid season in a panic. He can spend the whole summer/pre season potentially getting the players fitter as he might like. No outstanding candidate has emerged.
If you don't appoint him now, you never will and in honesty it doesn't make sense to keep it as compulsory for him to remain on the staff as Assistant Manager. You may as well say to him go out and prove yourself, as he's not going to be getting any more qualified being an assistant.
I mean I hope he stays as Assistant. He's a good coach, did a great job in charge and is clearly a very loyal man. I'd want him to stay, but I wouldn't insist he has to for any managerial appointment.