David Cuffley Former City skipper Matt Jackson reckons Adrian Boothroyd is the ideal candidate for the manager's job at Carrow Road - provided the club is committed to making a long-term appointment.

David Cuffley

Former City skipper Matt Jackson reckons Adrian Boothroyd is the ideal candidate for the manager's job at Carrow Road - provided the club is committed to making a long-term appointment.

The ex-Watford boss, who was with the Canaries for 2� years as youth team coach, is the bookmakers' odds-on favourite to succeed Glenn Roeder, who was sacked on Wednesday after the FA Cup defeat by Charlton.

Jackson, who spent the last full season of his 17-year career as a player under Boothroyd at Vicarage Road, said his last manager had the perfect credentials for the City vacancy.

But if, as some reports suggest, City favour an interim manager until the end of the season, he is certain it would not appeal to Boothroyd.

“He would certainly be a very good candidate, although the problem at the moment is we don't know what the board are actually looking for,” said Jackson.

“If they want to make a long-term appointment, Aidy would be a fantastic choice. But with his qualities he would be looking for a long-term project, whereas some reports talk about a short-term appointment to the end of the season.”

Centre-half Jackson's five years as a player at Norwich overlapped with Boothroyd's arrival at Colney in February 2001, giving him an early chance to assess his capabilities.

“His strengths are his enthusiasm - he's big on that - and the way he motivates people, his man management in treating players as individuals and his desire to improve himself,” said Jackson.

“The impact he made in such a short period of time in taking Watford through to the Premiership shows he can have an immediate effect and at this time that's what Norwich are looking for.”

He said Boothroyd's Norwich past would be an advantage.

“It tends to help,” he said. “With such a good club as Norwich and the people of Norfolk, there is a desire for the club to do well and he will have picked up enough on that, having been there. The fans fill the place every week. And you must remember, you have to have the respect of the fans.”

Jackson, 37, who made 172 appearances for City and was player of the season in 1997-98, moved on to Wigan and two memorable promotion seasons before joining the Hornets in 2007. He retired last August.

Boothroyd left City in October 2003 to become West Bromwich Albion's youth development officer before becoming first team coach at Leeds in 2004, then Watford manager, where his side won the Championship play-off final in his first full season in charge, 2005-06. They were relegated again in 2007 and were beaten play-off semi-finalists last season before Boothroyd left the Hornets in November by mutual consent.

Jackson said it was vital City, 21st in the Championship, made the right appointment this time.

“It's critical - you have to get it right, to make sure you make the right decision,” he said.

“They would take finishing in this position and then someone's got the summer to rebuild.”

Jackson quickly ruled out applying to be part of Norwich's management team, however.

“It's just not something I would consider at all at this stage - not under any circumstances,” he said.