Bosnich in limbo

Former Australian, Manchester United and Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Bosnich is still no closer to clinching a deal with the Central Coast as the kick-off to the Hyundai A-League season fast approaches.

The Mariners want Bosnich, albeit on a short-team arrangement, and the veteran gloveman is keen for a re-start his career after five years in exile.

But negotiations appear to have stalled just days out from the beginning of the 2008/9 season.

Central Coast is keen to use Bosnich when Danny Vukovic's five-match ban begins later this month, but there are no plans to sign him long-term.

"At best we'd be looking at a replacement for Danny for five weeks," Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna said at Monday's A-League season launch.

"The club will be speaking to his (Bosnich's) management this week to sort it out."

"Mark's been great. He's been loud, he's been good for the dressing room and the two trial games he's played he's been outstanding."

"He played 80 minutes against Sydney and 30 against Queensland and did a great job."

"I didn’t know him from a bar of soap but to see a 36-year-old with nothing to prove throwing himself around like a 16-year-old shows the guy's a winner."

"That's why he played at the highest level."

Bosnich looked fitful when paraded before the cameras at the season launch, abruptly ending a pre-arranged interview before explaining where contract negotiations sat.

"It's a pleasure being back in Australia. I'm really looking forward to hopefully participating in the Hyundai A-League," he said.

"Since I've been back there's been a fantastic warm welcome that I've had from everybody and hopefully everything will take care of itself and all systems."

"I'm really looking forward to the opening weekend just as a general supporter of Australian soccer and it's great to see since the time that I've been away that the league has come up to this standard."

Asked how he is fitting in with Lawrie McKinna's men he said: "The people at the Central Coast have been absolutely fantastic to me and that includes the locals as well as people like (executive chairman) Lyall Gorman and (part-owner) Peter Turnbull."

"The manager and everybody else have been absolutely fantastic."

New A-League franchise Gold Coast has expressed interest in Bosnich if the Mariners decide against stitching up a long-term deal with the former international.