Leigh Nugent, the acting head coach to Australia, is the man in the frame for the job proper today, according to reports Down Under. Nugent told Tom Wald at AAP that he is considering applying for the job vacated by Alan Thompson last week when the newly posts of head coach and performance director are advertised in the near future.
Nugent suggested that the Dolphins would ride out turbulent waters provided that Swimming Australia Limited, the federation, opted for continuity and did not bring in a totally new regime and programme unfamiliar to swimmers and coaches.
"Instability probably would only come ... from the change in leadership and changing faces," he told Wald today. "It really depends on who takes on the head coaching role and how they deal with the situation. We've got very capable coaches and experienced athletes in our team, they're pretty resilient people and they know what needs to be done."
Former Britain head coach Bill Sweetenham has backed Nugent for the head coach job and would be a candidate for a return to the national team in Australia.
Sweetenham said: "Leigh I think wants to pursue the position of national head coach and I would support him in that. Hopefully Leigh is successful and if he is and he wants me to help then I will look at it then. I am not going to be an applicant for the head coaching position."
Interviews for the Aussie jobs - not yet advertised - are expected to be conducted soon and the successful candidates named before the Delhi Commonwealth Games trials at Sydney Olympic Park from March 16-21, according to AAP.
