Teddy Sheringham says Kevin Nolan will be an ‘asset’ to Leyton Orient – but added that he may come to reconsider taking the roles of both player and manager.

The 33-year-old midfielder joined Orient this week following the departure of Ian Hendon on Monday.

Nolan played under Sheringham at West Ham last season when the current Stevenage manager was on the Hammers’ coaching staff – alongside Hendon.

And the Boro boss spoke with the midfielder on Thursday night to wish him all the best in the job.

“He’s a great lad. What a tough job he’s got, player-manager,” Sheringham said.

“Even as a first time manager I’d have said that’s a tough job he’s taken on, knowing what I know now six months later.

“I’ve said to him ‘all the best’, and he still wants to do it and still feels fit and able.

“He’ll still be an asset to Leyton Orient without a doubt. He’s a Premiership footballer coming down to Division Two.

“He’s a very clever player and he’ll score goals at this level. Whether he can do the two – that and managing the team – I’m going to make a statement and say he might last a couple of months doing that and then he’ll realise that he won’t be able to do it.

“Just knowing how hard the game is as a manager. Let him bed in, enjoy his first month or six weeks, and we’ll see where he is from there. But I wish him the best of luck.”

Sheringham added that Hendon’s departure, with Orient just outside the play-off places, should be a concern for managers further down the league table, including himself.

Asked about whether he believes Hendon should have been given more time, Sheringham said: “It’s tough to say the least. [Three] points off the play-offs, might have a game in hand on a couple of teams. It’s tough.

“It’s very harsh from my point of view. That’s all I can say.

“When you think that someone like that has lost his job, everyone below them should be worried and I’m no different.”