Pompey may delay naming new boss

Pompey close in on new coach

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric admits he may have to delay making a new managerial appointment.

Mandaric ruled out a Fratton Park return for John Gregory to halt Pompey's alarming slide down the table.

He told BBC Sport: "If we're capable of making the decision quickly we would like to do it before Saturday.

"We're running against time at this point but it's still an outside possibility we might do it this week, if not I hope it will be next week."

Mandaric confirmed his hunt is not limited to British candidates with Premiership experience.

The Pompey chairman said: "There are British candidates but also candidates from outside the United Kingdom."

Mandaric admitted that former Southampton boss Gordon Strachan had been interviewed, but would not be drawn on his prospects.

BBC Sport understands that Strachan is not keen to take the job because of his links with Pompey's fierce south-caost rivals.

Mandaric said: "I can't say any further, it's not fair to the other candidates.

Strachan will motivate the players and get us out of this little hole we appear to have dug for ourselves From Thats-Rich Have your say on 606

"There's no priority among the candidates but there are a lot of different considerations."

Mandaric hinted one or more of the candidates could currently be with a club.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to go into details on any of the candidates for their and their club's sakes."

"If I had my way, I would like to make an appointment today.

"But in all honesty, we're still considering a couple, maybe three different candidates."

Pompey executive director Velimir Zajec has been in charge since Harry Redknapp resigned in November.

Mandaric said: "Velimir did not come here as a manager, he's doing this on a temporary basis."

Former Ajax coach Ronald Koeman, ex-Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri and Frank Rijkaard's assistant at Barcelona, Henk Ten Cate have also been linked with the job.