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League Managers Association chairman Howard Wilkinson has appealed for the Premier League and the Football Association to show "some leadership" over the appointment of managers without UEFA Pro Licences.

Gareth Southgate was named as Middlesbrough's new manager on Wednesday, with the former England defender set to sign a five-year contract in the next few days, while the league's 20 club chairmen recently voted to allow Glenn Roeder dispensation to take over at Newcastle. But Wilkinson believes the governing bodies should take some responsibility to enforce FA Premier League rules which state people without the Pro Licence can only take charge of a club for 12 weeks.

He said: "We supported the bringing in of this legislation by the Premier League and the FA at UEFA's request. Since then we've found ourselves beaten over the head for continuing to support the principle."

He added: "The problems which have arisen are not down to us, they're down to others. We've not wavered in our view.

"All we are doing is saying that better training for coaches is a good thing - it gives all our guys a better chance. It's about a rule which exists and it's up to the Premier League and the FA to show some leadership with regard to this rule."

Boro chairman Steve Gibson has turned to Southgate, who won 57 caps for England, after talks with Terry Venables, Martin O'Neill and Alan Curbishley failed to bear fruit.

And Wilkinson continued on Sky Sports News: "The history and facts are that when we were approached by the FA and the Premier League to support the move towards mandatory qualifications.

"We persuaded our members to accede and many of them - already qualified and managing - went on to take their Pro Licences, people such as Steve McClaren at Middlesbrough, Sam Allardyce at Bolton and many others.

"What we are for is better training for coaches and managers and as such we decided to support the FA and the Premier League. We now find them advancing backwards at a rapid rate.

"I've no arguments with Steve Gibson or Gareth Southgate - if they can bend or get round the rules based on precedent that's what you do when you are expedient. You can't have a rule if you can't enforce it - and enforcement is down to the Premier League."

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