The Irish Football Association have drawn up a short-list of candidates for the vacant Northern Ireland management position and will start interviewing in a fortnight.
Dunfermline assistant Jimmy Nicholl appears to be the clear favourite to succeed Sammy McIlroy while former Northern Ireland number two Gerry Armstrong and ex-Wycombe boss Lawrie Sanchez are also thought to be in the frame.
The short list was ratified after a lengthy meeting of the IFA's international committee.
IFA president Jim Boyce said: "We now have a list of people that we wish to interview. They all have a Northern Ireland background."
"That process will start in the week beginning January 19th. I am still very confident we will have the new manager in place before the end of the month."
The IFA have been looking for a manager since the end of the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign when McIlroy left to manage Stockport County.
The new manager's first match in charge is likely to be on February 18th when Northern Ireland face Norway in a friendly at Windsor Park.
PA