Fabricio Coloccini

Despite the reaction from Jamie Carragher when the player was suggested as the favourite to take over from Pardew, there are enough people out there who think he could well do a job – and his teammates are already calling him ‘gaffer.’

Quite if this is in jest or not is unclear, but player / managers have become increasingly popular in the last season and it has been done before.

Coloccini may not be the man for the job long term but should Mike Ashley decide to opt for an interim manager, Coloccini may well be his first pick.

He knows the players, the way the club works and would take a shot at the big time.