Essendon's caretaker coach Dean Solomon will next week have his first formal discussions with club hierarchy about the fulltime job.
But Solomon remains tight-lipped on if he'll seek the head coaching role.
"We will sit down and have that discussion next week," Solomon told reporters on Thursday.
"With all due respect, I want to have that discussion with them first and work from there.
"It's the first time we'll have that formal chat."
The Bombers are believed to have narrowed their coaching candidate field down to four: James Hird, Mark McVeigh, Jaymie Graham and Murray Davis.
Whether Solomon wants to be added to that quartet remains unclear.
Solomon, who stepped in when Brad Scott was sacked on May 25, has held preliminary talks with Essendon's chief executive Tim Roberts.
"Tim mentioned to me, four or five weeks ago, to take your time, concentrate on coaching and doing what you have to do for this footy club," he said.
"And that at some point in time, he would give us a tap on the shoulder and have that (formal) discussion.
"That time has come.
"And we'll sit down and chat about all things and I'll put forward my thoughts on the current situation and the future."
Solomon has won just one of eight games in his caretaker stint.
"It's nice to have the ability to do a role that I'm incredibly grateful for, that I have loved," he said.
"But also to have the time to have a look at what the future looks like and be allowed to have the space to do that and now to sit down and have the conversation.
"It's just going to be a conversation to put my thoughts on the table."
The Bombers are also on the hunt for a new football manager after the resignation of Daniel McPherson, who told players and staff of his decision on Thursday morning.
"I'm proud of the role I've played in reshaping our football strategy, as well as our high-performance area," McPherson said in a statement.
"I believe this club is poised to succeed in a meaningful way over its next phase."
