Central Coast Mariners want to bring Australia assistant coach Graham Arnold back to club football. While ruling out an immediate move to Arnold, Mariners chief Lyall Gorman refused to shut the door on the prospect of him taking charge after the World Cup.

"Let me just say that Lawrie McKinna is not under siege and nor is his assistant Alex Tobin," Gorman said. "They are in Canberra now preparing the team and will continue to have control throughout the season.

"Lawrie is the football manager, Alex is an assistant but we still don't have a head coach since Ian Ferguson left to join North Queensland."

Gorman admitted he had spoken to Arnold but had not had formal discussions with the Socceroos' assistant coach.

"He is contracted to Football Federation Australia until the end of the World Cup," Gorman told the Daily Telegraph. "If and when he becomes available, we'd be silly not to talk to him. He's one of the most respected coaches in Australia."