Ange Postecoglou's departure as Australian coach seven and a half months out from the World Cup has left the FFA with a massive void to fill.
The governing body are keen to recruit a foreign manager, most likely from Europe, to steer the team through Russia before Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat takes over permanently.
Which candidates will the FFA be looking to add to their shortlist?
Cesare Prandelli
Despite the Azzurri’s early exit in Brazil, the 60-year-old Italian is still held in high regard for orchestrating his nation’s surprise run to the Euro 2012 final.
A modest playing career saw him feature for the likes of Atalanta and Juventus before guiding Hellas Verona to promotion from Serie B in the late 90s.
Enhanced his reputation at Parma in the 2000s before establishing himself as one of the nation’s best coaches after leading Fiorentina to consecutive Champions League campaigns.
Short, turbulent stints at Galatasaray and Valencia have followed in recent years with the ex-Roma boss now finding himself in charge of Dubai-based Al Nasr.
AdvertisementGettyBert van Marwijk
Having helped Saudi Arabia directly qualify for Russia next year ahead of Australia, the 65-year-old Dutchman, much like Postecoglou, will not be at the tournament to finish off his work.
One of the best coaches to come out of the Netherlands in the last two decades, the one-time Dutch international earned accolades for steering Feyenoord to UEFA Cup success in 2002.
Two years at Borussia Dortmund and another season at De Kuip preceded his time as Holland manager which saw him come within a whisker of helping the much-maligned Oranje win the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
A group-stage exit at Euro 2012 saw him depart his post before spending a season managing Hamburg.
GettyimagesLaurent Blanc
A World Cup winning captain on home soil at France 1998, the 52-year-old has recently emerged as a surprise candidate for the vacant US men’s national team post.
A two-decade long playing career saw him feature for the likes of Napoli, Barcelona, Marseille, Inter Milan and Manchester United.
A three-year spell on the touchline at Bordeaux yielded a Ligue 1 title in 2009 before helping the Girondins reach the Champions League quarter-finals the following season.
Promoted to the role of French national team coach, his two years in charge saw him get Les Bleus back on track after the disaster of South Africa and most notably led PSG to three successive league titles prior to his 2016 departure.
Jurgen Klinsmann
A World Cup winner with West Germany at Italia 90, the 53-year-old also won Euro 1996 as well as two UEFA Cup triumphs in a decorated playing career which saw him earn cult hero status with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
His appointment as Germany manager in 2004 raised many eyebrows given he then had no previous managerial experience and lived in California, although Klinsmann eventually won over his detractors by helping Die Mannschaft finish third as hosts of the 2006 World Cup.
A failed spell at Bayern Munich followed although he restored his reputation by taking the United States to the round of 16 at Brazil 2014 before falling out with the US football governing body.