The board of the Canadian Soccer Association has decided on a new coach for the men's national team, but it isn't revealing the name of the successful candidate.

The 19-member board reached a decision Saturday in Toronto, but won't announce the new coach because contract negotiations are continuing, said a CSA spokesman, who would not provide a timetable or a date for an announcement.

The head coaching position with Canada's men's team came open when Frank Yallop signed as head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.
(Reed Saxon/Associated Press)

The board met at a hotel near the airport to vote on the choice of the four-person selection committee, a ballot that was supposed to have taken place the weekend of March 30, but not all board members were available.

CSA president Colin Linford said Saturday he is comfortable taking whatever time is necessary to find the right person to hopefully lead Canada to the 2010 World Cup.

"Our objective is to qualify for the FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010," Linford said. "We are moving the right direction by working as a team and ensuring that each and every member of the board is on the same page."

In March, Linford said two Canadians and two foreigners were in the running for the post, adding he knew who he wanted and that soccer fans would know his preferred choice.

Media reports have pegged Brazilian and former Jamaica national team coach Rene Simoes, believed to be one of the foreign choices, as the leading candidate, with one report saying the job is his.

Interim Canadian national team coach and under-17 coach Stephen Hart, and under-20 national team coach Dale Mitchell are believed to be the Canadian candidates.

Linford had said he wanted the candidate in place by late March or early April.

He has made no secret of his desire for a coach familiar with CONCACAF, the confederation that covers North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Led team in Iran

Simoes, 55, has coached Trinidad and Tobago and was reportedly a candidate to take over Honduras last year. He also led Brazil's women's team to a silver at the Athens Olympics and most recently guided Iran's under-23 men's team.

Mitchell is currently preparing the under-20 national team for this summer's FIFA Under-20 World Cup set to take place in six cities across Canada this summer.

Canada's senior men have been without a full-time coach since Frank Yallop quit last June to take the helm of Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy.

Hart took over on an interim basis and led the national team to a 2-2 record with wins over Jamaica and Bermuda and losses to Jamaica and Hungary.

Canada ranks 94th in the current FIFA ranking and will look to move up the rankings at this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup in the U.S.

The CSA is also seeking a new CEO and technical director.