Stuart Pearce believes Gary Neville needs to get managerial experience of his own before he can be considered as a possible successor to Roy Hodgson as England head coach.
Neville is currently a member of the England coaching staff and has been linked with the top job once Hodgson, who has been in charge since 2012, leaves the post.
However, former Manchester United captain Neville has never managed a club or international side before and Pearce has described suggestions the 40-year-old could take over the national team without that experience as "incredible".
Ex-Nottingham Forest boss Pearce, who was in charge of England Under-21s for six years and also took caretaker charge of the senior team following Fabio Capello's resignation, told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek: "You only really know what it's like to manage when you're in that technical area and you're the manager.
"To even suggest that Gary could take over, for me, is incredible really. The top job in English football, you need experience and I think you have to gain that experience by managing either at club level, at international level, or hopefully a mixture of both.
"You can't replicate what it's like to be in the technical area when all pressure falls on you.
"I've been with Fabio (Capello) to the World Cup and in press conferences, and the pressure that's put on him; (someone) who has been around and knows the game and has a strong personality....You need someone in that position that's got the experience of that position.
"Gary will get that eventually, but I think he needs, like anybody, to gain the experience, maybe in club football, as a manager and after that probably in international football as well."
Source: PA
