McLeish resigned as Scotland manager in November to achieve his ambition of managing in the Barclays Premier League, joining Birmingham.

Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith returned to work today to continue the search for a successor, with the bookmakers' shortest-priced contenders for the job including Tommy Burns, Mark McGhee, Craig Levein, Billy Davies and John Collins.

A spokesman for the SFA told PA Sport: "We are still on course for a January appointment.

"We have identified a shortlist and will be looking to speak to people as soon as we can."

Smith recently revealed he had "at least six or seven" candidates in mind to succeed McLeish.

But he also stressed the SFA would not take a financial gamble on a new boss, and admitted the next Scotland manager's salary would earn nothing like the money new England boss Fabio Capello is reputedly being paid.

McLeish was thought to be on a contract which would have earned him around £400,000 per year, and the new manager is likely to be offered similar terms.

For the likely candidates that is nevertheless a substantial financial package, even if it seems unlikely to make the job attractive enough to lure the likes of Everton boss David Moyes.

Scotland's failure to qualify for any major championship since the 1998 World Cup affects the budget for the manager, and any compensation the SFA recoup from Birmingham for the loss of McLeish is unlikely to be ploughed back into the next manager's pay packet.

The SFA have already appointed a new Scotland Under-21 boss, with Billy Stark leaving his position with Queen's Park to take up the role.

They have been careful not to rush the process of identifying a new manager for the senior team, however.

And the SFA are determined to keep their list of candidates private.

SFA president George Peat last week stressed the association would be careful with their approaches to managers in work, wary of upsetting too many clubs by requesting permission to speak to bosses.

McGhee had been the early front-runner for the job with bookmakers, but Burns, who is first-team coach and head of youth at Celtic, has since replaced him.

Burns looked to be a strong contender in January last year when Walter Smith resigned to return to Rangers.

He had been on the Scotland staff under Walter Smith and Berti Vogts, and was keen to take the top job in his own right, but withdrew from the running in frustration when the SFA made no contact with him.

Changes at the top of the national body, with Peat replacing John McBeth and Gordon Smith coming in for David Taylor, should mean there is no lingering ill-feeling.