CHIEF Executive Neil Doncaster today spoke of the board's plans to find Glenn Roeder's successor as soon as possible to fill the vacant position of Canary manager.
After Glenn Roeder's contract was terminated earlier this week, he also spoke about this morning's news that Bryan Gunn had been put in charge of first team affairs for Saturday's match against Barnsley.
"Bryan is not caretaker manager, he's been asked to take the team for this Saturday. I spoke to him after Glenn's contract had been terminated and said that with the situation with Paul and Adam also leaving the Club, we'd like him to lead the Club on Saturday.
"We are delighted and hopefully he will have a positive effect on the players and we will see a response out there on the pitch tomorrow because it's a crucial game against Barnsley."
In response to questions regarding Roeder's replacement, City's Chief Executive added: "We are at a stage where we will be making a recommendation for a short list to the board this afternoon and looking to interview candidates early next week with the view to making an appointment as soon as possible. We are very blessed by the timing of the fixture schedule, we've got Southampton nine or so days after tomorrow's game and that gives us a window to make sure, if we can, we have a manager in place by the Southampton game.
"What we want to identify is the right man for the job, the man who is going to take us away from the foot of the table and get us into a position which is far more suitable for a club which is of this stature. That's the objective and then we'll have discussions with the person we identify about a deal which is suitable for both parties.
"It's inevitable that there will be lots of speculation about individuals, some of whom we will be talking to and some of whom we won't. Certain people like to be linked to the vacancy because it helps boost their profile. We won't be commenting on any speculation linking us with any individual whatsoever but I do think it's important to refute the accusation that we made a formal approach to anyone when that has not happened."
Reports this week have suggested the Club made a formal approach to former Canary manager and now current Northern Ireland boss, Nigel Worthington. Asked about the speculation, Doncaster commented: "Myself and Kevan Platt, the Club Secretary, have made numerous efforts to talk to a number of individuals and different organisations about the availibility of certain managers and individuals joining us whether on a permenant or a caretaker basis.
"That is simply as a fact-finding mission so that we can make a recommendation to the board about a short list to try and get an appointment as soon as possible. Yes I have called the Northern Irish FA and that conversation went much along the lines of this is not an official approach in any sense, but if there was to be any interest was that something that you would consider or not, so that we then have the facts at our disposal to consider what to do.
"They said that they would not be interested in that and we totally respect that, and that's the end of it. I can catagorically deny that any formal approach was made to any individual whatsoever."
