Charlton have parted company with manager Iain Dowie after only 12 Premiership matches.
Dowie, 41, left Crystal Palace in May to replace Alan Curbishley at The Valley but won only two league games.
The club, who are in the Carling Cup quarter-finals, will make a full statement explaining Dowie's departure on Tuesday morning.
Derby's Billy Davies, Cardiff's Dave Jones and ex-England coach Glenn Hoddle are reportedly candidates for the job.
Former boss Curbishley has already ruled himself out of a return to The Valley.
"I left Charlton for a new challenge," he said. "Going back would not be good for me or for the club."
His successor Dowie, who is the first Premiership manager to lose his job this season, spent almost £10m on new players after signing a three-year deal.
However, the Addicks lost 3-2 at West Ham on the opening day of the 2006-2007 campaign and have only managed home wins over Bolton and Manchester City.
Saturday's 3-2 loss at Wigan leaves Charlton at the bottom of the table, with only eight points.
"I think parting company with someone after 12 games is very early"
England striker Darren Bent is the only player to have scored more than one league goal this season - he has scored six of the club's nine Premiership goals.
Dowie received a surprising vote of confidence from Palace chairman Simon Jordan, who is taking his former manager to court over his controversial summer move to Charlton.
"Despite my personal differences with Iain, on a professional level, at times, Iain was quite inspirational," Jordan told BBC Five Live.
"In the season we got promoted he was a tremendous leader and in the following two seasons, while we ultimately failed, Iain was a very strong leader and there is no doubt he's a great coach.
606: DEBATE
"I think parting company with someone after 12 games is very early and is not what support is about - support is about supporting people in adversity, unless they are really going the wrong way."
He added: "I think Charlton have not really given him a chance.
"Gutless, faceless people take those decisions, don't they?"
Dowie, a former Northern Ireland international who had spells at West Ham, Southampton and Palace, took his first steps into management at Oldham.
He led them to the Division Two (now League One) play-offs in 2003 before moving to Palace in 2003.
The London club were languishing in 19th spot in Division One but a sensational run of form led to them reaching the end-of-season play-offs and earning promotion to the Premiership.
They very nearly survived their promotion season but were relegated on a dramatic final day following a 2-2 draw at Charlton.
They reached the play-offs again last season but lost in the semi-finals against Watford, less than two weeks before Dowie's acrimonious departure.