Portsmouth chief executive Andy Cullen says he cannot put a timeframe on when the club will appoint a new head coach.

Caretaker manager Simon Bassey took charge against Wanderers in the Papa Johns Trophy quarter-final on Tuesday night.

Pompey are back at the UniBol this weekend in League One action, and Cullen is keen to make sure they come to “the right decision” in the dugout.

“I can’t give an indication of whether anybody will be in quickly, because it has got to be the right decision,” he told The Portsmouth News. “You want long-term, not the hire-and-fire strategy you sometimes see. That’s why you have to be really considered in everything you do.

“It’s such a big decision and a huge responsibility for Portsmouth Football Club – one you can't take lightly.

“You want it as quickly as you possibly can, but that is not always possible, it’s about making the right decision. I wouldn't want to put a timeframe on it, it would be wrong to do so, you have to give yourself space to make the right decision.”

“You get expressions of interest in any process like this, particularly given the opportunity and potential Pompey has. Then you benchmark everything against criteria we have in place looking for a very good fit. Whether they really want to come to Pompey is also hugely important.

“I have been through this process a few times – having done it at MK Dons – and very often you get quite a few names that come up all the time. They probably go for lots of jobs, that’s the nature of the beast.

“Then you question whether they really, really want this job against all the other criteria you have, which is very important.”

Portsmouth currently find themselves 13th in the table and are without a win in their last nine league matches.

Cullen added: “The calibre of those who have expressed interest is really good. We have a list of people and are working through everybody.

“We want to get a decision done as quickly as we possibly can, but it takes time.

“You whittle them down against the criteria and then, with those that are the best fit, you take the process from there.”