Wolverhampton Wanderers could be ready to make an internal move in their mission to find an instant replacement for Glenn Hoddle.

Molineux Academy director Chris Evans, the mastermind behind the production line of young talent that has banked the club £13.5 million over the last decade, has been destined for higher office at Wolves for a while.

Evans has emerged as a genuine candidate as chief executive Jez Moxey looks to make a new appointment as quickly as possible following Hoddle's surprise departure last weekend.

Evans' work over the past 16 years at Molineux has chiefly been done at the grassroots end of the game. But he is recognised throughout the game as one of the country's foremost coaches.

The 43-year-old Welshman has just completed his full Uefa Pro coaching licence, having been part of the same 12-man course as Bryan Robson, Sam Allardyce, Kevin Blackwell, George Burley, Gary Megson and new England manager Steve McClaren.

Evans has no Football League managerial experience, but neither did Adrian Boothroyd when he took over at Watford 16 months ago. And Boothroyd's success in getting Watford promoted inside one season, allied to the promotion of another former Molineux Academy man Rob Kelly to high office at Leicester, has made a lot of people in football boardrooms sit up.

On the back of a growing movement within the game towards men with big qualifications rather than big names, Wolves are already tempted into giving Evans the chance to 'do a Boothroyd'.

Moxey has already stressed the need for a low budget operator capable of bringing the best out of their young players, notably Evans' latest discovery, teenage midfielder Mark Davies.

As the man who has brought through the likes of Robbie Keane, Joleon Lescott and now potentially the best of the lot in the much admired Davies, Evans could be the ideal candidate. The risk for Evans lies in giving up what seems a job for life running the Molineux Academy.

The former Stoke City, York City and Darlington defender, who started his injury-curtailed professional career at Arsenal, has been touted for previous managerial jobs both at home and abroad. But this time it is understood he could be tempted.

One huge factor that might appeal, both to the Molineux board and to the local footballing populace, is a potential partnership with Paul Ince, who has handed in a formal application for the vacant post.

A player-coach's role working under Evans is definitely under consideration.