Danny Murphy has warned Newcastle United's new owners against axing Steve Bruce - because he's the best man for the job in the side's current predicament.
The Magpies were taken over by a Saudi-led consortium last week, ending Mike Ashley's troubled reign in a £305million deal.
Newcastle's new owners, financed by the country's Public Investment Fund, have huge wealth - in the region of £320bn - and optimism has risen on Tyneside as to who could be arriving.
The club's immediate focus will be staying in the Premier League given they languish in the relegation zone, winless in their opening seven games this term.
Bruce's future immediately became a topic of conversation, with the ex-Aston Villa and Sunderland manager far from popular with supporters.
But with Ashley's departure, Mirror Football understands that Newcastle are expected to sack Bruce before the game with Tottenham this weekend.
However, Murphy has pointed out that Bruce has proven he can beat the drop previously - and argues no credible candidates are available to replace him in the short-term.
"You've got to be careful not to run before you can walk," he said on TalkSPORT. "The situation Newcastle is in now is precarious.
"I think they've got a manager in charge who has been there, done it at the lower echelons of the Premier League and dealt with that scenario before, even at Newcastle.
"So is there someone out there who is going to be more equipped to do the job than Steve Bruce?
"That's ultimately the question. Ok you can talk about the pleasing of the fans and the masses, but that doesn't necessarily mean you get Bruce out and bring someone in who's going to do it better.
"I think they will get rid because that's what the fans want and they're trying to keep everybody happy.
"There's no obvious candidate to come in for a relegation battle. It is a different question if you're asking me are there managers out there who are capable of working with new players, spending money, competing - of course there are.
"But coming into the Premier League, if you haven't been here before, who's out there more equipped than Bruce? No one jumps out at me."
Bruce, who has managed 999 games across his career, is into his third season in the St James' Park dugout.
His previous association with rivals Sunderland meant he was always fighting a losing battle with the fans.. a situation only exacerbated by perceptions of dour, negative tactics.
The 60-year-old has said since the takeover: "I want to continue (as manager) but I have to be realistic. I'm not stupid and aware what could happen with new owners."
Amanda Staveley, the chief executive of PCP Capital Partners who is now a director on the Newcastle board, has said the club's ambition is to win the Premier League title within a decade.
