SWINDON Town says the club has identified "a strong shortlist of candidates" who could become the new head coach but stated the process of naming Ben Garner's replacement will not be rushed.

Garner was finally confirmed as the new Charlton Athletic manager on Wednesday, two weeks after he was first reported to be on the verge of exiting the County Ground.

With pre-season a matter of days away, many fans are concerned Swindon have not named the club's new head coach while other clubs move on with recruitment and planning for the new campaign.

READ: Andrew Crofts bookmakers' favourite to land Town job.

In a statement released by the club on Friday morning, Town say they "understand the urgency" to appoint a new boss but also that they are "committed to finding the right candidate for the job."

"We are looking for an individual who will play an expansive and attractive brand of football, develop young players, provide a pathway between the Academy and the first-team and engage with our fans and the local community," read the statement.

It continued: "We want someone who is invested in the long-term project at the Football Club, and we are committed to finding that individual.

"Again, we understand the need and the urgency to recruit a new Head Coach with pre-season only a couple of weeks away, and we want to thank all of our fans for their continued support and patience."

Meanwhile, Town's newly-appointed Technical Director, Sandro Di Michele, expanded on what the club is looking for in a Head Coach and why this can't be a rushed process.

He said: "We have identified a strong shortlist of candidates who fit the profile we are looking for.

"We have a clear philosophy for Swindon Town Football Club and it is vital that the successful candidate is fully aligned with this.

"They must be comfortable working in a modern structure with a Technical Director and a data driven recruitment strategy.

"We will do the process diligently to find the right person. The successful candidate will have the same footballing philosophy as that of myself and Clem and the rest of the leadership team. We will not deviate or move away from our core principles as this is what we believe will drive success at Swindon Town Football Club.

“We will update you all in due course. COYR."