Waiting game

Timothee Dieng

THE WAIT goes on for Athletic to finalise a deal for a new manager ­- but the club hope to have a new face installed by tomorrow.

At the top of the board's 'wanted' list are the duo of Stuart McCall and Steve Evans.

Both of those managers have also been linked with Athletic's League One rivals Bradford City, with McCall in particular bound to be tempted by the prospect of a return to the club at which he made his name as a player and started his management career.

Evans has recently returned from China, where he turned down a lucrative job offer.

Doubts persist over whether Athletic would be able to match the former Rotherham and Leeds boss's wage demands, but he has stated his intention to talk to interested parties today.

"I came back (from China) and had the first debrief with the people who look after me," Evans told the Telegraph and Argus.

"They said there are a couple of clubs who are keen to speak to me, so I'm going to meet them this morning and we'll see where that goes."

Other names remain in the frame, such as ex-Athletic stars Frank Bunn and Neil Redfearn.

But the club want their new man in before the week is up, in order to start carrying out essential groundwork in building a squad for next season.

With the fixtures for the 2016-17 Sky Bet EFL League One campaign to be released a week today, Athletic still have a host of players whose futures have not been resolved.

Outgoing manager John Sheridan allowed former player of the year Mike Jones ­to leave the club before himself departing for Notts County, while key figures in his successful battle against relegation like Timothee Dieng, James Wilson, Anthony Gerrard and Jonathan Forte all have deals that run out at the end of this month.