Five reasons why MK Dons would be a great first job for Steven Gerrard
Video report by ITV News Anglia's Donovan Blake
Speculation has been mounting in recent days that Steven Gerrard could be the man to take over as the new manager of MK Dons after initial contact was made between the two parties.
A deal is still a long way off being done, with the 36-year-old just one of a number of candidates being considered, but there is still considerable excitement among the club's fans regardless.
Here's a look at why it could be a good first managerial move for the Liverpool legend.
The Dons have big ambitions
Everything about MK Dons is geared towards reaching the Premier League one day, and chairman Pete Winkelman has made no secret of his desire to make it to the top flight.
They have one of the best stadiums in the Football League and the arrival of Gerrard would surely boost attendances to new highs.
However, with the Dons currently struggling towards the bottom of League One, the immediate priority would be to avoid relegation but if someone could get things going - this is a club that is more than capable of competing in The Championship and beyond.
He'd be given time to get things right
The fact that previous manager Karl Robinson lasted six years is enough proof that the Dons are more than willing to give their managers time to develop.
Robinson was only 29 when he took over at stadium:mk and rewarded Winkelman's faith by delivering the Dons' first ever promotion to The Championship.
Things did eventually go stale, but Winkelman was still willing to give Robinson a chance to turn things around and the pair still maintain a strong relationship.
They have a reputation for developing young players
Tottenham star Dele Alli and on loan West Brom defender Brendan Galloway are just two Premier League stars that successfully came through the Dons' youth system, and the club have continued to produce players for their first team.
With a modest budget, the club understand the need to have a successful academy and selling players on is a great way of keeping their head above water financially.
The club have a clear philosophy
Everyone at MK Dons has it drilled into them the importance of playing in a certain way, right from the academy to the first team.
The club's young players are told to express themsleves on the ball and the academy made a decision not to send some of their players out on loan in the summer because other clubs may not play in the same style.
It's a great stepping stone to bigger clubs
If Gerrard does take the position at stadium:mk, you can be sure that his ultimate goal will be to manage Liverpool where he was such a legendary player.
Learning his trade in the lower leagues will give him the experience he needs to make sure he's ready if the opportunity ever arises to return to Anfield.
The Dons know their place in the pecking order, and also gave Roberto Di Matteo and Paul Ince starts in their managerial careers.