Richie Wellens suggests he would be more qualified to manage a lower league club than the likes of Steven Gerrard.

The Liverpool legend was linked with the job at the League One club after returning to England following an 18-month playing stint in MLS with the LA Galaxy.

Wellens has been undertaking his coaching badges while doing some work with United and used the example of Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid and Pep Guardiola at Barcelona to show that dropping down the grades is not ideal for a world-class player when stepping into the world of coaching.

“Look at Steven Gerrard, right," the former Leicester City, Blackpool and Doncaster Rovers midfielder told the Daily Mail.

“He's worked with elite players all of his life and was then having to look lower down to start managing. I honestly believe I'm more qualified to manage an MK Dons than Gerrard. If you ask me about League One, I know it all.

“Zinedine Zidane didn't work in the Spanish third division. Neither did Pep. They're at Real and Barcelona's second teams. The transition is easy.

“Maybe that's where we are going wrong. You're asking top players to step a few levels down.

“Don't get me wrong, they've got to earn their stripes, but I find it difficult being asked to drop so many levels."