All India Football Federation president Praful Patel may consider appointing a big name as national team coach only if the candidate fits their criteria, saying the appointment will be done at the earliest.
The AIFF has received more than 250 applications for the top job, post of which was left vacant after Stephen Constantine resigned following the Indian team's failure to make the knockouts of the AFC Asian Cup after coming close.
Among the 250-odd applicants, sources close to the federation said 35 of them are well-known names from Europe and elsewhere.
"If the candidate fulfils the criteria, what we are looking at, and if he is well-qualified, then we can think of that (appointing a big name)," the AIFF chief told PTI.
"The appointment will be made as soon as possible, maybe by the end of this month," he added.
Patel was Saturday elected as a FIFA Council member, becoming the first Indian to enter the prestigious panel in a landmark development.