That was confirmed by Chairman Mehmet Dalman after City's 2 - 2 draw with Sunderland on Saturday.
Dalam spoke at the post match press conference about possible candidates for a new manager.
"I have a preferred candidate. I only have one candidate in mind," he said.
"I have not made an offer to anybody as such, but that does not mean I have not had discussions."
When asked if he had spoken to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he said: "I spoke to him many a time in the old days (when the Norwegian was at Manchester United).
"I might have spoken to him recently, and I might not have."
He added: "You know what these things are like, they take time. We will do our work as diligently and as quickly as we can but I am reasonably optimistic that we will get things moving."
One man Dalman ruled out of contention is Turkish journeyman Yilmaz Vural. Vural's agent has consistently touted him for the Cardiff job, but Dalman said: "I am not getting a Turkish manager, I can categorically state. There is a manager who keeps putting himself forward. It is not going to happen."
Dalman confirmed that Kerslake and McBride will be in charge for the game at Arsenal on Wednesday.
Kerslake spoke about his short period in charge so far.
He said: "I have been in the position for six hours and had three phone calls from the director, one from the chief executive, one from the chairman and one from the owner. That's probably put me off for life!
"They were all well wishes as well, by the way, but I have been a coach for 10 years. I love what I do. I love being on the grass with the players."
Cardiff conceded a last gasp goal against Sunderland thus denying Kerslake of a winning start.
Kerslake said: "The players are devastated in the dressing room. We got ourselves in a fabulous position and we should have seen the game out.
"It is disappointing for us because we were 2-0 up. With eight minutes to go, we conceded a poor goal so there is work to be done."
Kerslake added: "The players found out (about Mackay) via the TV. I guess they are only human and they have probably been on the phone talking about it.
"The way we came out the traps today they certainly put it behind them.
"The manager has asked for that start for the last two-and-a-half years and to come out all guns blazing. For 35-40 minutes, we blew Sunderland away."
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet was delighted to get the last second goal to earn a paoint.
'I am delighted we scored a deflected goal for the first time in a while, because it (luck) was always against us,' he said to reporters. 'It was time to get a little bit of luck and get a lucky goal.
'It looked difficult, but in the last 25 minutes there was only one team on the pitch, we were coming and coming and coming, and knocking on the door.
'We are never going to give up, to beat us you are going to have to be very good or you are going to have to fight very hard because we are going to fight to the end.'