But Waddle - a former England, Newcastle and Spurs team-mate of Gascoigne - believes there will be too much pressure on the 35-year-old to instantly succeed at the club.

"It is a reasonable club to start your management career at, but the expectation levels on someone like Paul Gascoigne would be very, very high," Waddle told BBC Radio Five Live.

"When you are a high-profile footballer and take a job in the lower divisions people do look at you a lot more than someone who is not as well known.

"If Paul met Exeter he would first want to talk about what is available. The team are third of fourth from bottom and it is a difficult job.

"I'm sure that Paul would be better going in somewhere as a player-coach and then - if he gets a taste for it - go into the management side.

"There would be less scrutiny in a player-coach role."