Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick wants to appoint a successor to Sven-Goran Eriksson's as England coach before this summer's World Cup Finals begin in June.

The FA and Eriksson agreed this week to part company, after five years of the Swede holding the post, after the World Cup Finals, following the controversy generated after an undercover 'sting' by the News of the World newspaper on the 57-year-old England coach.

This has left Barwick with the decision to appoint a successor as soon as possible, so that the England squad can focus on the Finals in Germany.

“What we have is the opportunity to get that person in place, hopefully, before the World Cup,” said Barwick. “And if the upside of that is they can watch the side that they inherit in August with a sense of semi-distant ownership, then it may well be an advantage.”

“I don't think there's any chance at all of that person being involved directly within the inner sanctum of Sven's set-up - unless they are already in it of course.” (Steve McClaren and Sammy Lee being the only names in the current England coaching set-up who’s names have been mentioned as candidates.)

The other English managers to have been touted as a possible successor to Sven are Bolton’s Sam Allardyce, Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley, Manchester City’s Stuart Pearce and Wigan Athletic’s Paul Jewell.

But Barwick insisted the FA were keeping an open mind about the appointment saying, “I have absolutely no doubt that some English managers will apply.” When asked if any would be capable of doing the job, Barwick replied: “Yes, of course.”

But, whether any of those managers do apply for the post is debatable. All have previously said that they feel that they would be too inexperienced for the job, and all are in full-time employment with their respective clubs.

If the FA decides to appoint another foreign manager to follow Eriksson, Guus Hiddink, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Fabio Capello could be in the running.

Barwick will get the process of bringing in a new national team coach underway next week when he discusses a suitable strategy for making the appointment.

“Next Thursday there is an FA board meeting and the recruitment of the next England coach will be on the agenda,” said Barwick. “I hope to put to the board a procedure for their consideration.”

“In the past, what has been a practical way for the FA to do this is to call on some of the experienced heads around the FA, create a small group and, with the chief executive leading, to go for and find the appropriate person.”

“The process won't probably be in place for a week or a fortnight, and after that we do have some time to make the right call.”

“We can afford to be patient and try and make the right judgement call and use the time we have in our favour.”

England striker Michael Owen has already voiced his concerns that the search for England's new manager could overshadow England’s preparations for the World Cup.

But Barwick insisted: “It's easy to divorce the two. There is constant speculation because the press will return to this subject and I fully expect, realise and respect that this is a good story.”

“But I hope it won't - there's no way and reason why it should. The two things are pretty significantly divorced.”