FAI officials now expect to receive a suggested shortlist of possible successors to Mick McCarthy from Bryan Hamilton some time next week after which the organisation will attempt to move quickly to set up interviews with the leading candidates.

"We anticipate Bryan coming back to us within the next week after which we will have to meet to consider the names he submits to us," says FAI treasurer John Delaney. "Nothing is set in stone at that stage - we may add or subtract names from the list - but I would imagine the people interviewed will end up being the ones recommended to us and the intention is to press ahead talking to them as soon as possible".

Hamilton's activities over the past few weeks have been the subject of widespread speculation, but the former Northern Ireland manager is tight-lipped about who he has and hasn't talked to in the course of assessing the candidates.

It is known, however, that he has had around a dozen meetings with would-be replacements for McCarthy, and that Brian Kerr and most of the figures linked with the job who are based in Britain, including Kevin Moran, have had a chance to put forward their views on the job.

Peter Reid, Bryan Robson and George Burley are among around 20 other figures to have expressed an interest in filling the vacancy.

Hamilton says he has been impressed with all of the people he has met in relation to the process, but he still has some work to do before submitting his recommendations to Merrion Square.

He says he will not meet all of the applicants, but instead will rely on "my various contacts in the game" to assess some of those who have expressed an interest from continental Europe.

Reacting to reports that various candidates may already have been promised interviews, Delaney said he did not feel any such commitments could have been given.

"Although we have kept in touch with Bryan, we don't yet know who is going to be on the list he gives us and we certainly haven't met to consider any names so I don't see how that could have been done.

"We still believe that the process is moving along well, though. The shortlist we get could contain three, four, five or six names, but whatever the number we'll consider them, and then set about the process of setting up interviews. I'm confident we can still make an appointment by the first of February and that the new man can name the squad for the friendly game in Scotland."

Colin Healy's agent Mel Stein, meanwhile, said yesterday he expects the player's switch from Celtic to Everton to go through very shortly. "I can't say exactly when it will happen," he said, "because it is between the two clubs now, but they are close to a deal."

Former Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Burgess has joined Oldham Athletic on a three-month loan from Stockport County. The 21-year-old Irishman has been brought to Boundry Park by Ian Dowie in an attempt to maintain Oldham's push for promotion in the wake of injuries to a couple of the club's established forwards.

UCD goalkeeper Barry Ryan has been named as the Eircom League/Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland player of the month for December. The 24-year-old, widely rumoured to be on his way to Dalymount Park in the summer, didn't concede a single goal last month.