Former assistant manager Doug Livermore believes his old Tottenham Hotspur colleague Chris Hughton has what it takes to follow in Paul Lambert's footsteps at Carrow Road.

Norwich were granted permission by Birmingham City to speak their manager on Wednesday about the vacancy left by Lambert, with Hughton now looking to be on the brink of making the move east.

Livermore, who was number two to Nigel Worthington at Norwich, worked with Hughton during his playing days at White Hart Lane and he backed the Canaries' pursuit.

And he is confident Hughton can successfully take over the City reins from one of the greatest bosses ever to take charge of the club.

'I think Chris Hughton would be a very good appointment,' Livermore told BBC Radio Norfolk. 'Chris is bubbly, he is intelligent, he knows exactly what he wants and how he wants his team to play, and he is a great character. He was very well liked at Tottenham Hotspur throughout the many years he spent there.

'Let's offer fantastic credit – Paul Lambert: what a job he has done for Norwich City Football Club; absolutely magnificent, and backed by the board as well.

'The players and supporters – Norwich City have had a fantastic time and it's absolutely brilliant for everybody. Paul Lambert did very well and then obviously finishing where they did, Chris Hughton or whoever comes in as manager – if it is Chris then yes, he has got a hell of a job to follow on.

'But Chris Hughton is very capable of handling that situation. Knowing Chris, it's a big challenge and he would get on with it and cope with it very well.'

It is 20 years since Livermore and Hughton worked alongside each other in north London – but even then Worthy's former right-hand man saw a future coach and manager in the making.

'Knowing him from when I was at Tottenham, I know Chris very well. He was a player there and also on the caching staff.

'My first job at Tottenham was reserve team manager and Chris actually played in the reserves and he was a tremendous professional. He helped the young lads and there were times at half-time when I would ask him to say a few words and he was very constructive and I always knew Chris was going to go into the coaching side.

'His record stacks up very well because when you look at the budget Newcastle had and also the budget Birmingham City had as well, Chris Hughton has done fantastic jobs wherever he has been.

'Obviously Norwich City will have a budget as well and he will be ready to work under that budget.

'He has always been a great professional and it's no surprise to me that he has ended up on the coaching side, and now he has ended up on the management side, because of the way he is and the way he conduct himself.'

It is believed City's desire to bring in Hughton's backroom team helped them pip West Bromwich Albion to his signature, including first team coach Paul Trollope and assistant manager Colin Calderwood – and Livermore believes Norwich are getting more than one able body through the door.

'Chris also has a good number two with him in Colin Calderwood, who I knew at Tottenham as well,' he said. 'He is a good professional, a great player and a great character as well.

'So if it was that Chris is coming in and he is bringing in Colin Calderwood as his number two, then that would be a very good appointment as well.'