By Mohammed Allie BBC Sport, Cape Town

Eriksson is one of the favourites to coach South Africa

The naming by the South African Football Association (Safa) of as many as 13 candidates for the job of Bafana Bafana coach, shows how murky the waters still are with regard to filling the hot seat.

This relatively long "shortlist" defeats Safa's earlier confidence of having the new man in place by mid-April.

And there's the added uncertainty about the chosen ones' availability and salary demands.

The list has been shortened to 12 following news of Dutchman Guus Hiddink's appointment as coach of Russia.

And it could be shortened even further if Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari becomes England manager following his recent interview for the job in London.

Another Dutchman on the list, Frank Rijkaard, has just signed a new extension to his contract with Spanish champions Barcelona, so he's unlikely to be available for the job.

Other overseas-based candidates include current Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who's been a long-time target of Safa, outgoing England coach Sven G�ran- Eriksson and Frenchman Patrice Neveu, who took Guinea to the quarter-finals of the last African Cup of Nations.

Top African candidates like Zambian legend Kalusha Bwalya and Nigerians Augustine Eguavoen and Stephen Keshi have been named, while four locally-based coaches, Jomo Sono, Gordon Igesund, Pitso Mosimane and Steve Komphela, are also in the mix.

Despite claiming to keep an open mind about appointing an overseas or locally-based coach, it's no secret that Safa is prepared to break the bank to secure a top international coach.

Safa Chief Executive Raymond Hack said money wouldn't be a constraint when hiring the new coach.

"The main criteria is someone who will develop Bafana Bafana into a team which will do the nation proud when we host the World Cup.

"Obviously we still need to hear what kind of salary he wants but we're confident of finding the money either from government or the private sector," said Hack.

Bafana Bafana fans have had little to cheer about lately

Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the 2010 World Cup Organizing Committee, has publicly punted Eriksson as a preferred candidate.

But there has been a strong groundswell of support for the Brazilian pair of Scolari and Parreira, both of whom have guided Brazil to World Cup success in the past.

Many feel the skills of South Africa's players and their natural ability is more suited to the fluent Brazilian style of play instead of the rigid discipline enforced by the European style.

According to Hack, the new coach will be appointed before the World Cup in June although his identity would only be confirmed after the tournament.

As it is, the country's footballing talent is thinly spread with very few if any exciting new talents on the horizon and the new coach will have a tough time moulding a team that can compete against the world's top footballing nations.

The new coach will also have to acquaint himself with the minefield of South African football politics which has undermined his predecessors.