South Africa plan to soon appoint a full-time coach to take charge for the 2010 World Cup finals but only after the African Nations Cup in Egypt has finished.

Romanian coach Ted Dumitru, who has had a lot of domestic success in South Africa, was appointed as caretaker in November on a three-month contract specifically for the Nations Cup.

South Africa FA general secretary Raymond Hack said they had been flooded with applications and enquiries from agents but no decision on a new coach would be made until at least March.

"We have had about 50 different names forwarded to us and acknowledged all the enquiries but we haven't had a proper look at them nor have we made any approaches to any potential candidates ourselves," he told Reuters in Cairo on Wednesday.

"That would only serve to undermine our current staff who are taking charge of our team at the African Nations Cup finals."

South Africa open their campaign on Sunday against Guinea in Group C.

Veteran Dumitru took over after Englishman Stuart Baxter resigned following the failure to reach the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Hack said it was a priority to have a coach in place soon to prepare a competitive team for the 2010 World Cup being hosted by South Africa.

"We have a technical committee who will interview candidates and they will make a recommendation of three final candidates to our executive committee, who will then make the final choice.

"But we have to get the coach in place sooner rather than later so that we can begin," he added.

Among those interested in the job are former England manager Terry Venables and ex-Ireland coach Brian Kerr but officials have previously suggested a home-grown coach or candidate from Brazil would be preferable.

Hack confirmed that South Africa will play Poland in a friendly at home in March and are negotiating a possible match against England in May.