Mark Kinsella believes it would be premature for his former international team-mate Robbie Keane to take a senior role in the next Republic of Ireland management team.
It has been suggested that the FAI are keen to have Ireland's record cap winner as part of either a Mick McCarthy or Stephen Kenny-led coaching ticket.
However, Keane (38) has still not officially retired from playing and featured in the Indian Super League for Atlético de Kolkata earlier this year.
Kinsella, who played alongside Keane at the 2002 World Cup, feels that the assistant manager position would be too big for a first coaching job.
"Robbie is always going to be connected," he told 2fm's Game On.
"I know he's doing his badges. He played abroad and did a little bit of coaching, he was player-manager for one game. Coaching-wise I don't know what he's done.
"Mick (McCarthy) takes Terry Connor with him everywhere, as his ally and a very good coach.
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"Whether Robbie would come in then to get international experience as a coach, it might be another option. But I don't think he'd be going in as a number one coach having not really done the groundwork.
"No disrespect to Robbie, he's our biggest goalscorer in history, but I would think it would be too early for him maybe to go in there as his first job at senior coaching level, when the likes of Kenny Cunningham and other players have done the groundwork.
"I'm not saying Robbie wouldn't be able to do it but it would be an interesting one if it did happen."
As for whether the FAI would plump for McCarthy or Kenny, Kinsella, who was involved with the Ireland U21s under former manager Noel King, said it was a 50-50 call.
"If you're putting the question out there of experience at international level, you would go with Mick," he said.
"I worked under Mick. I think if he goes in he'll get a lift. He'll have the respect of the dressing room straight away. His man-management is very good.
"If you're going with club level at this moment and doing very well with Dundalk over the years you would go with Stephen Kenny.
"Stephen has done excellently at club level. I've been home now a couple of years, working with Drogheda, and he's been tremendous.
"Stephen built Dundalk up to what it is now. They (players) will find out the success he's had at club level and he'll get the respect that way.
"He's put himself right at the front door for the job, along with Mick.
"It could go either way."
