Martin O'Neill is the favourite for the England job

Martin O'Neill, the favourite for the post, is also interesting Newcastle.

But the FA will not bring forward the 27 February board meeting, at which a process for finding and naming a new boss will be discussed.

An FA spokesman told BBC Sport: "Chief executive Brian Barwick has already said we will do this properly."

Barwick heads the three-man committee which will oversee the process. He will be joined by international committee chairman Noel White and Premier League chairman Dave Richards.

O'Neill was installed as favourite after Richards said the new manager should be British and it has been reported Barwick has already approached the former Celtic manager privately.

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But the spokesman said: "The meeting will be held and the process will be discussed. That is as far as it has gone."

O'Neill is also favourite to take over at St James' Park as a replacement for Graeme Souness who was sacked earlier this month.

The former Northern Ireland international has been out of football since leaving Celtic in the summer to look after his ill wife Geraldine.

BBC Radio Five Live's football correspondent Jonathan Legard said the England job would appeal to ex-Leicester boss O'Neill.

"It's an obvious progression from Celtic and Leicester and the success he had at those two clubs. He loves the game, misses the game and, crucially, wants to get back working," Legard reported.

"There is also the distraction of the vacancy at Newcastle, although that is an attraction as well. But the fact he lives in Buckinghamshire, near the FA headquarters in London, is important.

"Moving his family up north could be a complication and the fact that the England role would not be as demanding on a day-to-day basis is significant too, in the light of his wife's illness.

"Her well-being is going to be the over-riding concern because that uncertainty is going to be the crucial element in how he responds to any official approach from the FA."