NEIL Middleditch feels ex-Pirates star Gary Havelock is the "ideal candidate" to replace him as Great Britain team manager.

But Middlo, who has stressed he is "happy to carry on" as national team boss in 2008, isn't looking to step aside for Havvy just yet.

Instead, the current GB manager believes Havelock would be perfect to take over the job when he has retired from racing.

It's a role Havelock, who has been helping Scott Nicholls in a managerial capacity in the Grand Prix, would probably take to like a duck to water.

The 38-year-old, who shone for Pirates from 1998 to 2002, is still a Premier League star with Redcar.

So he would fit the bill if and when Middleditch finally calls it a day.

Middleditch said: "Havvy would be a good successor, although he would have the same problems as me with regard to the strength of Britain's team in the future.

"I know he can't do the job now because he is riding. But he is one of our last world champions and I feel the riders would have a good relationship with him.

"If Havvy decides he wants to come on board, it would be great to have him as an assistant manager.

"He knows how to ride a bike, he is a good motivator and is very mechanically minded.

"But I don't think he will have the time to do the main job until he finishes racing. Then he could give it his best shot.

"Knowing Havvy, he wouldn't want to do it until he could give 100 per cent to the job, anyway.

"Havvy is a total professional and that's the only way he would want to go about things.

"He would be an ideal candidate to take over as GB boss one day."