GARY Speed has been advised by his Wanderers' bosses to carry on playing and forget any notions he may have about managing Wales.

The veteran midfielder has been repeatedly touted as a possible successor to Mark Hughes, who will step down in a fortnight after the World Cup qualifiers against England and Azerbaijan.

Speed, who chalked up his 500th top-flight appearance at the weekend, signed a two-year deal when he joined from Newcastle, and Sam Allardyce has told him he expects him to see that contract through.

Assistant manager Phil Brown said: "The manager has already had a conversation with Gary and I think that he wants to play as long as he possibly can, and that is music to our ears.

"It is difficult, though, because it is the national team. If someone threw the national manager's job at you at 34 or 35 would you be foolish to turn it down?

"Gary is a student of the game. But to take what he has learned into management straight from being a player is difficult.

"My advice to him would be to cut his teeth at a club first. If we can help him in terms of coaching we will. But I do not think the time is right for him to go into management yet, certainly not at international level."

Speed, impressively hard working in his first seven Premiership appearances, will play at West Brom tomorrow before joining up with the Wales.

Brown added: "The level of performance he has started with here and maintained, has been first class. If we can have that for a full season and another season then Gary's managerial aspirations will have to be put on hold."