FORMER Matildas and Central Coast coach Alen Stajcic, one-time Olyroos boss Aurelio Vidmar and home-grown mentor Damian Zane are understood to be among 30 applicants for the vacant position at the Newcastle Jets.
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Arthur Papas resigned on Monday with a year to run on his contract, leaving the A-League club without a coach less than a week before the start of pre-season training.
Papas' assistant, Arthur Diles, has also departed and is expected to take up a similar position at Melbourne Victory.
Jets executive chairman Shane Mattiske has moved quickly to find a replacement and is compiling a list to present to the ownership group.
"We have had a large number of candidates come forward," Mattiske said.
"We have assessed those candidates and in effect put them in order in terms of how they meet the criteria for the profile of coach that we would like. We are at the stage now where we are engaging with the board around their views on the candidates at the top of the list."
The list of applicants includes coaches from Australia and abroad with varying levels of experience.
Sources have told the Newcastle Herald that Stajcic, Vidmar and Zane are on a shortlist that includes former Auckland City coach Ramon Tribulex, Melbourne Knights coach Ben Cahn, Sydney FC assistant Robbie Stanton, Western United assistant coach John Anastasiadis, former Roar coach Warren Moon and Victoria Premier League mentor Chris Taylor.
Former Jets captain Ruben Zadkovich, who parted ways with Perth Glory last month, and one-time fan favourite Labinot Haliti have also expressed interest in the job.
Mattiske, though not detailing the criteria, was confident of finding "the right fit" for the team and the community.
"We have already talked to a number of candidates or are scheduled to talk to them," he said. "We were prepared for this process and are now moving forward quickly."
The Jets players are undergoing testing this week and have their first field session on Monday ahead of the Australia Cup qualifier against Melbourne Victory in the Australian Cup play-off in Darwin on July 17.
"We are aware that the team is coming together Monday," Mattiske said. "We would like to be in a position where we have confirmed a coach but there is no guarantee."
Stajcic is preparing the Phillippines women's team for their first appearance at a World Cup in a month's time. He previously coached the Matildas, taking them to a World Cup and Olympic games, before controversially sacked in 2019.
He has experience in the A-League at the Mariners. They finished last in his first full season in charge but made the play-offs in the second season before he departed.
There has been strong push in Newcastle football circles for Zane to be given an opportunity at A-League level.
He is in charge of Newcastle's youth team, who sit second on the NPL 2 ladder and are on track for promotion, and has achieved sustained success in the NPL with Edgeworth and Broadmeadow.
Meanwhile, Kosta Grozos has inked a one-year extension at the Jets.
Veteran Jason Hoffman is also believed to have inked a contract extension.
Both are understood to have agreed to term before the resignation on Monday of Arthur Papas.
Grozos, 22, was among 16 new players brought in by Papas as the start of the 20-21 season.
He made 20 appearances in his first season and was awarded the Jets' Rising Star.
The attacking midfielder played 23 games last season, deputising for Reno Piscopo who missed a large chunk of the season with injury, and scored two goals to go with two assists.
"I'm happy to stay at the Jets for another season," Grozos said in a statement. "I feel comfortable here at the club, I love the city and I want to continue growing here as a footballer and help bring success back to the club."
Meanwhile, former Jets striker Beka Mikeltadze is close to finalising a deal with Korean club Gwangju FC.
Mikeltadze has reportedly arrived in Korea and started his training with the club while waiting for the paperwork to be signed off.
Gwangju beat Suwon Bluewings 2-1 on Saturday to move to eighth spot.
"We were prepared for this process and are now moving forward quickly
"Ultimately, it will be subject to the discussions with the board and how long it takes to get through the final stage of the process."
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