Wales manager John Toshack believes that Gary Speed could be the candidate to take over as Swansea City boss following the departure of Paulo Sousa.Former Wales captain Speed, 40, is a coach at Sheffield United under Kevin Blackwell but is seen as a future boss.
"Gary has been around a long time but hasn't been the number-one man yet," Toshack told BBC Sport Wales.
"Maybe now is the right time for him, he would know the area, he's Welsh... so maybe if he was approached."
Speed, who was born in Mancot, north Wales, has taken his Uefa pro licence coaching qualifications and has made no secret of his desire to one day become a manager.
Sheffield United gave Swansea permission to speak to Speed last year following the departure of Roberto Martinez to take over at Wigan Athletic, although Paulo Sousa was eventually appointed.
But with Sousa now gone from the Liberty Stadium after just a year - the Portuguese is in negotiations with Leicester City - Speed's star is in the ascendant once again.
Gary Speed is currently a coach at Sheffield UnitedSpeed played for Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers before joining the Blades, becoming the first footballer to each 500 Premier League appearances.
He also won 85 caps for Wales and is now a coach with Championship side Sheffield United.
"If the people at Swansea felt that would be the right choice, well I think maybe it's the time for Gary now to go in and be his own man," Toshack added.
"But he's at Sheffield United at the moment and we don't really know what his thoughts are."
Toshack also said that former Fulham, Real Sociedad and Coventry manager Chris Coleman - another former Wales international - was another possibility.
Although he was sacked by the Sky Blues in May after a disappointing Championship season, Coleman is Swansea bred and played for the club for four years, before moves to Crystal Palace, Blackburn and Fulham.
"Chris has got experience of management, obviously things didn't go too well for him at Coventry if we're honest," Toshack said.
"His [previous] job, at Real Sociedad in Spain, he was the victim of very, very difficult circumstances there, it was virtually impossible for him to carry on."
While Toshack believes that ideally Swansea will have a new manager in place soon, should chairman Huw Jenkins bide his time before appointing a new man then the team is in good hands.
Thriving Swans await new boss - Curtis
First-team coaches Alan Curtis and Colin Pascoe are in temporary charge of team affairs at the Liberty Stadium.
"Colin Pascoe and Alan Curtis... are very capable lads, Swansea lads through and through," Toshack said.
"So hopefully they'll be able to get on with things, keep the players ticking over at this time of year.
"But Swansea need to be thinking about making an appointment as soon as possible; I wouldn't rule out them letting those two get on with it for a while to be honest, stranger things have happened.
"The difficult thing with this is the timing of it, just back in training now.
"Normally... you've got your pre-season plans set and ready, and for this to happen to Swansea again right at the beginning of it obviously throws [the club into disarray].
"For the chairman as well, who I know has worked very, very hard there, the way the last two managers have gone - Martinez and Sousa - will have been a little bit disappointing for them."
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport