Pompey target Warnock to instil British passion

Neil Warnock is expected to decide by tomorrow evening whether or not to become the next manager of Portsmouth. The Premiership club, who have set the deadline, remain committed to appointing Warnock but approached three other clubs yesterday to speak to their managers as well.

Crystal Palace refused Portsmouth permission to talk to Iain Dowie, who said: "The chairman informed me of Portsmouth's interest, but both he and I are totally focused on getting Crystal Palace back to the Premiership."

Also on the shortlist is believed to be Alex McLeish of Rangers and Brentford's Martin Allen. "Before the day is over we will probably approach four or five," the Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric said yesterday. If none can be secured it appears likely that Portsmouth will turn to Sir Bobby Robson. They also, tentatively, sounded out Ruud Gullit but he has not given them any encouragement while Portsmouth realise that they have little chance of persuading Roy Keane to join as either a player or player-manager.

Mandaric refused to discuss names but said that four of the candidates were in jobs and British, while a fifth was not working and that there was another who was "not British but is participating in the British game quite a bit".

Mandaric even refused to rule out the return of Harry Redknapp, who walked out a year ago and who is now at Southampton. "I never in my life say never," he said. The shortlist may prove academic as Warnock, whose contract at Sheffield United expires next summer, is said to be inclined to accept Portsmouth's offer. A meeting was scheduled last night with the United chairman Kevin McCabe.

Portsmouth would have to pay a fixed figure of £400,000 - around one year's salary - for Warnock and are thought to have already made plain the personal terms they are offering. Warnock will have a salary linked to the club's players. He will also be given funds in January and has targeted Tottenham Hotspur's Michael Brown.

Mandaric, who fired Alain Perrin on Thursday after less than eight months in charge, has set a deadline of appointing a manager before playing Spurs on 12 December. Before that Portsmouth face Chelsea today, with Joe Jordan in temporary charge, and Manchester United next Saturday. If he accepts Warnock should be in place by then.

Portsmouth have approached other candidates because they want him to decide quickly but also because they know Warnock may still accept a new contract at Bramall Lane if one is offered immediately.

Warnock fits the criteria outlined yesterday by Mandaric, who said that he wanted a passionate manager who would "throw a few tea cups around" in the dressing-room. "We have missed the power and enthusiasm of British football," he said. "For us to have the chance to make an immediate impact, it has got to be a British manager." Perrin, he said, did not show his emotions.