If SAFC were to confine the search for yet another Manager to former players, there isn't a lot of choice in terms of candidates with a successful track record.
Add to this the fact that we need, apparently, someone with 'leadership qualities' though I'm a bit hazy on defining this attribute.
Also the new man would need to be popular with the Fans.
Well, we have Kevin Ball at the club who would qualify as being both popular and a leader, but not I think a Manager in waiting.
Sam is the only one I can think of that ticks ALL of the boxes and he has recently said that he is not interested, (according to press reports).
If we want to be realistic, at the minute we are a basket case of a club, so why would any successful Manager want to take us on and try to succeed where so many have failed.
It could well wreck his whole career.
We have to accept that we can only look at either someone currently unemployed, (ie sacked for failing), or someone freshly retired and just starting out, possibly a coach at his first Club or a lower League/Non-League Manager who is full of confidence.
If we are also going to insist that he's a former player, I don't see anyone out there except John O'Shea, and he would be a very big risk with such limited experience.
I like the idea of a former player getting the job. It's finding one that's the problem.