If anyone knows how to not get along with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, it's Jimmy Johnson.

And Johnson didn't think it was out of the ordinary for all to be right in Dallas if Bill Parcells decides to join the ship.

"I think they would work well together at least for a few years," Johnson told the New York Daily News on Wednesday. "They would work well together long enough to get it back on track. After a couple of years, they might get under each other's skin."

After more than a week of faxes and phone calls, Jones met with two-time Super Bowl coach Parcells on Friday at a Long Island hotel to continue discussions about the Cowboys coaching position. No deal is imminent -- Jones was on his way to Washington D.C. for this weekend's Cowboys-Redskins game and took the detour to talk with Parcells.

The Cowboys have also opened discussions with former Vikings coach Dennis Green about becoming the next Cowboys coach.

There are two elements that figure to temporarily stymie Dallas' search for the successor to lame-duck coach Dave Campo.

The first, resolving the delineation of responsibility within the organization, has already proved a stubborn problem even in the earliest stages of contract discussions. Team and NFL sources told ESPN.com Wednesday that, while Parcells is publicly insistent he will not require absolute control over football operations to end his hiatus, he still wants considerable clout.

However, the scouting and pro personnel department apparently will stay under the same leadership no matter who is the next Cowboys coach.

Larry Lacewell, the Cowboys' director of pro and college scouting, recently received a three-year extension through 2005. Lacewell, 65, joined the Cowboys in 1992 as director of college scouting and his responsibilities have expanded over his years with the franchise.

Lacewell is one of owner Jones' closest confidants and Lacecell has an extensive coaching background in the college ranks.

Jones has been spending a lot more time on the sidelines, so the big question is would that fly under a Parcells coaching staff?

Johnson said it can ... for a while.

"I think it's going to take work," Johnson told the newspaper. "I don't think it's going to be easy for Bill or anybody else.

"There is no doubt in my mind it can work," Johnson added. "Both sides will have to make some concessions, but I don't think there would ever be any conflicts that would hinder winning. Even Jerry said the spotlight is big enough for more than one person. That's where the problems Jerry and I were headed to."

Johnson coached the Cowboys from 1989-1993, but after that fifth season, Jones did things that Johnson said "got under my skin."

But according to the Daily News report, Johnson also indicated that there was never a power struggle between himself and Jones during his tenure on Dallas.

"If things have changed, they've changed," Johnson told the Daily News. "As far as when I was there, Jerry never did give me a problem as far as personnel and players. He never really meddled. He never really suggested things about players or personnel or coaching. After I left, it might have changed. There was never a problem as far as drafting a player or playing a player or anything that had to do with coaches."

But the second hurdle that could slow Parcells' return to the NFL is a more of a league issue, and relates to new guidelines for filling head coach vacancies. The guidelines have been enacted, in part, to address criticism over the lack of minority candidates for head coach positions.

Owners are now compelled to apprise the league when they intend to make a coaching change, to conduct a process rather than a sprint when interviewing candidates, and to strongly consider minority candidates.

Two league sources confirmed that Jones has not officially apprised the NFL that he intends to fire Campo after Sunday's season finale.

That said, Jones has had fairly extensive discussions with league officials over the hiring guidelines, and has also spoken to members of the workplace diversity committee. Jones' initial contention, a league source said, was that he was already well down the road to a coaching change when the NFL last week tweaked the guidelines once again.

But that same source said Jones will comply with the guidelines.

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, chairman of the diversity committee, confirmed Jones will abide by the hiring policies. Rooney spent considerable time on the phone with Jones on Monday, he said, reviewing the policies.

"He's going to follow the rules," Rooney said.

Which essentially means that, while Jones already knows who he wants to hire, he will speak with other candidates. Even if the process is a sham, one league official said, it will be carried out. That fact, along with the contract negotiations, could delay the hiring of Parcells for at least a few days after the Cowboys finish the 2002 season at Washington on Sunday afternoon.

ESPN.com senior writer Len Pasquarelli contributed to this report.