The Football Association will have completed the interview process for the next England manager by the end of this week but no decision has yet been taken on the timing of an announcement.

There have been suggestions Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor will be unveiled as early as Wednesday but the chances of that appear remote and an announcement near the end of the season now looks likely.

It is also understood that Alan Curbishley is not being interviewed tomorrow, contrary to some reports, though the Charlton manager has not been eliminated from the race yet.

A source closely connected with the interview process said: "We should have completed the interview process by the end of the week but that is not to say that a decision will have been made by then. It could still be an ongoing process."

The involvement of Steve McClaren — who along with Martin O'Neill is one of the two favourites — in two cup semi-finals could affect the timing of the announcement.

The FA are anxious to avoid possible accusations of destabilising the position of current club managers so if the nominations panel settle on O'Neill, who is not working for a club at the moment, there should be an announcement sooner rather than later.

If they decide Middlesbrough manager McClaren is the man for the job, however, that could delay an announcement until after the end of Middlesbrough's campaign.

McClaren's side are in the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup.

It certainly looks like an all-British race after comments from Luis Felipe Scolari apparently distancing himself from the job.

Curbishley and Bolton manager Sam Allardyce have both been considered but it would be a huge shock if either of them were offered the job over McClaren or O'Neill.