Former Leeds United defender Ben Parker has told Sports Mole that the club should retain the services of manager Neil Redfearn.

Forty-nine-year-old Redfearn took charge at Elland Road in November and despite having endured some negative results, under his guidance the Whites have comfortably secured their Championship status, thanks in part to the influence of academy graduates.

However, with Redfearn's contract due to expire this summer, owner Massimo Cellino recently hinted that a new boss would be at the helm for the start of next season.

Parker, though, believes that Redfearn has proven himself to be the right man to take Leeds forward.

"He's done a better job than people will give him credit for, mainly because it's his first job at first-team level. You can have as much experience as you like playing wise, which Neil has, but it's a different ball game as soon as you step into management. He's taken to it like a duck to water," said the 27-year-old, who made over 50 appearances for the Yorkshire outfit.

"For me, it's not a surprise. From my time working with him, his sessions were good and the players respected him. He's a good character to have around the training ground and he looks like he's taking all of that into management.

"What the club need is some stability. In that respect, it would be in the best interests of the club if they kept hold of Neil. People were calling for his head when results weren't going his way, but he's had the fight and determination to stick it out.

"It's just a case of will the club allow him to control what he wants to control? I know the owner likes to do things in a different way, but I think Neil understands that. He just wants a bit of freedom to coach the players and bring in his own staff. He only wants to look after the football side of things and if he can do that, Leeds will benefit from it."

One of the men linked with replacing Redfearn in recent days has been Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who spent two years as a player with Leeds in the late 1990s.

The Dutchman has guided Burton Albion to League Two promotion this season, but despite that success, Parker has played down that speculation.

"It would be an interesting clash in characters between [Hasselbaink] and the owner. It's like anything, if you do well at a certain club then clubs higher up will sniff around you," added Parker.

"With Jimmy Floyd's past connections with Leeds, I think people may be putting two and two together and getting five. From the point of view of Leeds, they don't need to look any further than Redfearn."

Redfearn revealed on Thursday that he is keen to hold talks with Cellino over his future at the earliest opportunity.