Dan Ashworth has been backed as the ideal person to become the Football Association's new technical director by the candidate who rejected taking the role in the summer.
Gareth Southgate believes West Brom's sporting and technical director will "do a good job" when his appointment is confirmed.
Ashworth has made it clear he wants to leave the Hawthorns to take up the FA post although Albion want him to serve at least part of the 12 months' notice he has to give under the terms of his contract.
Southgate told the Wolverhampton Express and Star: "I did my pro-licence the same year as Dan and I know him very well.
"He has done an exceptional job at West Brom and I'm sure he'll be a good addition to the FA if he takes the job.
"The structure at Albion is excellent. You can only succeed if the structure is right but they have got it right and Dan has been a key part of that.
"This will be a different challenge if he takes it, because the areas will be slightly different, but he'll do a good job."
Albion have already intimated they want Ashworth to head-hunt his own successor.
Ashworth will link up with England head coach Roy Hodgson who was in charge at the Hawthorns until the end of last season.
But Southgate said: "It's pretty irrelevant he knows Roy really. You need to get on well with the senior manager but the roles do not really cross over. It's a lot different to club level where you're working closely all the time."
Source: PA
