Ron Atkinson: Kenny Jackett earned Wolves job
Ron Atkinson today insisted Kenny Jackett will prove to be as good as any of his rivals for the Wolves hot-seat.
The former Millwall chief has been named the new boss at Molineux and will be unveiled at a press conference on Monday.
Jackett beat Owen Coyle, Steve McClaren and Steve Davis to the job – 24 days after Wolves sacked Dean Saunders.
He will be charged with guiding Wolves out of League One at the first attempt – and Atkinson believes Jackett is not second-best.
The former Aston Villa and West Brom boss said: "He certainly stands up to any of the others who have been mentioned.
"Wolves are a massive club and what's happened to them is unbelievable. He might just be the right man they need for the particular job to be done.
"The people who would have been interested in the job a year ago, when Wolves had just come down, might not be now – it's not quite so attractive.
"They need someone who knows the way around the division, knows the players and knows how to win there. When you talk about horses for courses, he's a man with a record.
"He has managed in the second and third tier without a massive budget and did well."
Jackett guided Millwall out of League One in 2010 and consolidated the Lions in the Championship – and Atkinson reckons he could go one further with Wolves.
He said: "He has earned his chance at a big club and, who knows? They might have one of those runs where they go straight through to the Premier League.
"If they get some momentum, why can't they bounce back next season and then go up again?
"There will be great expectation – and it's not always guaranteed – from everyone in football for them to go up.
"It will be a tragedy if they do not bounce straight back."
The former Manchester United boss believes Jackett laid the foundations for Swansea's success after guiding them from League Two in 2005 and winning the Football League Trophy in 2006.
He quit in 2007 and was replaced by Roberto Martinez who is widely credited with starting the Swans' drive to the Premier League.
Atkinson said: "Kenny deserves a bit of credit. He steadied the ship there and they almost went out of business."
