Terms have been agreed for a new head coach at Gillingham and chairman Brad Galinson expects to make an announcement this week.

Mr Galinson has overseen a methodical search for the man to replace Neil Harris, who was relieved of his duties on October 5.

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The Gills are going down the route of a head coach, rather than a traditional manager.

The chairman was keen to offer an update to fans, explaining the key areas they looked at when making their decision.

Speaking on Monday morning, he said: “We think we have found that person and we expect to have an announcement this week, (in the) next couple of days.

“It took a long time but I think because we didn’t want to settle, I think we have found the right person who is very exciting and that will fit our club, for the long term.

“It is down to just documentation at this point. There have been multiple discussions, multiple interviews and terms have been agreed. It is just finalising the contract, tweaking it, red lining it, that sort of thing. We are pretty much there.”

He explained the four key areas they looked at, saying: “We wanted to make sure the manager realises it is the players first, not the manager first.

“Specifically (that he) cares about things like ‘are they married, do they have children, where do they live, how can they be a better player, do they need to be arm around, or told directly’, very much a player-first organisation.

“Secondly, we wanted to make sure the culture and the personality of the manager fits very specifically with what we are trying to build at Priestfield; transparency, collaboration, communication, very open, very group setting, one club and one vision, and we happily and transparently work together.

“As well as honesty and personality, someone that can smile and joke and realise this is the best job in the world, that in the end we want to win but we want to have fun doing it. We wanted to make sure the personality and the culture of the manager really fits the kind of people we have.

“The third is the playing style. We wanted to make sure that naturally, the person we appoint is above all brave, courageous, takes risks, front-footed, expansive, entertains and wins at the same time.

“Obviously sometimes you have to use direct football but we want to build something that is a bit more brave and courageous. We wanted to make sure the manager naturally thinks that way and plays that way, without even being told, that is just the way they think.

“The last one, I wanted the hardest-working guy in the stadium, the manager who stays late because he can’t stop thinking about his passion for football and formations and how we are going to take on the next team.

“He is the first one to come in in the morning and the last one to leave, because that is his personality, he loves the game, that is his life and he would do it for free, he doesn’t need to be paid, that kind of guy.

“Those are the four things that I have paid attention to specifically to get the right guy.

“What is not on the list are things like what formation do they play, have they coached before, are they old, or young, have they coached Premier League, have they been assistant coach, do they have League 1, 2 or National League experience?

“To me, those things are secondary to make the formula work, but any of the above could work theoretically if you have those four things.

“We started with looking at all of the above, they could be American, Portuguese, Spanish, French, English, Premier League, never coached before, etcetera, what we did is try and get the best person that fits that four criteria.”

What Galinson was keen to state was that their criteria for a new coach wasn’t in any way a criticism of former boss Harris, who he still holds in high regard.

“I spoke to him again last night,” said the chairman. “We have stayed close, there is utter respect for him, but we wanted to play a different kind of football, mainly because of the position we are in now and even the budget we have.

“We are not fighting to stay in the league anymore, we are fighting to get out of the league, it is a bit different.

“Neil didn’t lose the dressing room, didn’t do anything, it is only positive moving forward mutually, no issues, nothing like that. He is a fantastic guy, I would recommend him for any position and will do that, this is nothing negative about him at all.”

Crawley manager Scott Lindsey and Southend boss Kevin Maher have both been linked to the Gills, along with the likes of Leam Richardson, Karl Robinson, Dean Holden, Marc Bircham and Stephen Clemence. The Gills interviewed over 20 people for the role but the chairman wouldn’t be drawn on naming names.

The Gills play Hereford in the FA Cup on Saturday and Galinson was asked if the new coach would be in the dugout. He said: “That’s up to the new man, it is his club as soon as we announce it. He will do his best to decide if he is ready, if he wants to assist, if he wants Keith (Millen) to do it, totally up to him.”

It’s been a process led by director of football Kenny Jackett.

Galinson said: “Kenny runs football. The first team, B team, academy, recruiting, he is in charge, he runs the whole department and this is a very important appointment, the person who is going to manage the first team.

“This person will report directly to Kenny, this is Kenny’s man, just like the B Team coach Keith (Millen), who has done a great job for us in the interim and our whole academy staff, this is one third of the football department, one fourth if you include recruiting, one of the most important direct reports that Kenny is appointing.

“The thing that has been the most positive for me is being able to directly work with Kenny. Kenny is leading this process. I have always been impressed with him, his depth of knowledge and being in a room with him, watching the process unfold and watching these guys do their thing, I know we have a football organisation that will take us forward.”

Former chairman Paul Scally is also part of the football board and Galinson is happy to accept his input, adding: “He is part of the board, he is a minority shareholder, he has a lot of knowledge and his connections and his wisdom helps, but it doesn’t decide anything.

“I personally think the more people you have commenting, the better and healthier the club is, he is just one part in a machine, no more no less.”

Some fans have criticised the time it’s taken to get a new coach in place, following Harris’ sacking, but Galinson explained why.

He said: “A lot of people have said, ‘How do you make a change of management and not in 24 hours have someone backed up?’

“On the one side, yes but for us to have done that we would have had to make the decision to secretly know we were going to make a change, somehow secretly interview 20 people, that doesn’t come out, which it would, and do it back-handedly.

“I am not completely surprised it has taken so long but I made the conscious effort because of my relationship and my respect for Neil to not do anything back handed.

“Firstly we had the conversation with Neil, no conversations about a new manager other than the criteria for a new manager and because of that we started from ground zero that next day and I still feel that it’s the right way to do it, versus the alternative.”

And on employing a head coach, rather than a ‘manager’, he added: “The person we are hiring is 100% in charge of the first team, training, formations, technical area, but he is not in charge with recruiting and getting the players in, he is just part of that.”