THE management game holds no appeal for Mike Whitlow but his knowledge, dedication to fitness and training and his enthusiasm for passing on his experience to young players suggest the veteran Wanderer is tailor-made for a coaching role when he hangs up his boots.

The 35-year-old full-back turned centre-half is working on a twin approach as he prepares for a sporting life when his playing days are over. He takes his UEFA B coaching licence in the summer while continuing to study for an NVQ to qualify as a gym instructor.

But the life of a football manager is not for him. "I get on well with most of the youngsters here and other people say I should go down that road. But I don't know mentally if I'm strong enough to be a manager.

"I'd want everybody to play. As a manager it's hard. The gaffer here's got about 40 professionals; I've griped at him this year and others have been in there and moaned at him because they are not playing.

"Maybe I could change as a person but I'd find that the most difficult part. If I had 11 honest blokes and another 11 honest blokes, how would I select a team?"