Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn insists the club will not be rushed into appointing a replacement for Roy Keane.
Former Manchester United midfielder Keane walked out on the North East club on Thursday after just over two years at the helm, with Ricky Sbragia placed in caretaker charge.
A host of names have been linked with the vacancy, with Sam Allardyce, Gerard Houllier, Phil Brown and Peter Reid all reported to be in contention for the Stadium of Light hot-seat.
And Quinn, who claims to have already received a healthy response from interested parties, is determined to make the right appointment for the long-term future of the Wearside outfit.
He told the News of the World: "There have been over 30 sensible applications so far, which is great.
"Roy was a dream to work with and will be very hard to replace. We will not get another like him, that's for sure. But we will look at all the available options and come to a conclusion over the next couple of weeks.
"We have not sat down to discuss anything yet. We just intend to take it easy and make the right decision."
Allardyce, who immediately expressed an interest in the role in the wake of Keane's departure, has again stated his desire to return to Premier League management.
The former Bolton boss has been out of work since his brief spell in charge of Newcastle was brought to an abrupt halt in January, and feels that the time he has spent away from the game is hampering his hopes of a return.
He told The People: "It's the case now that people can quickly forget what you've achieved in the game and that's why it's getting harder to get back into a top job again if you've been out for a while. It's sad but that's the reality.
"Since the onset of the big takeovers and the influx of big finance, football has become a more volatile environment and there's a desperate craving for instant success.
"The credit crunch has only highlighted the need for clubs to be in such an elite league as ours and it will make life more difficult for managers - but without doubt the Premier League is still the place to be.
"And I've unfinished business there. I want to get back in because I'm hungry to use all the managerial experience and ideas I've got. I don't want that to go to waste."
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