To see Bozza back in training...

...and to see the rest of the squad training with Bozza...

The Bluetongue boss admits it is a no-lose situation for the club as it increases the profile and brings benefits to the existing keepers, whether Bosnich ends up signing or not.

McKinna was impressed with the former Manchester United keeper’s eagerness to get off a long flight and make his way up the F3 to train.

Speaking at the end of Bosnich’s first training session, McKinna said: “I know he’s keen to be here and keen to prove he’s here for the right reasons and wanting to show people he can still do it.

If he’s fit and he’s as good as he’s got, why wouldn’t we sign him? The profile he’d bring to the club worlsdwide would be huge.

“He’s putting himself in the window to say if I’m good enough, I’m available. If he can’t do it, well it doesn’t need to go any further because the next two weeks (his trial) will tell that.

“Some people say is it just a commercial or publicity stint? It’s not. If the guy proves he deserves that number one spot when Danny (Vukovic) is suspended then he’ll get it. If he doesn’t, we won’t. I don’t think we can lose out of this.

“Commercially it could be great having Mark Bosnich in the team but if he’s not going to keep goals out of the net then I don’t think it’s worthwhile.”

McKinna joked that Bosnich’s profile had already proved useful in helping the player reach Bluetongue on time.

He said: “He had a hard problem actually getting here due to World Youth Day in Sydney and he struggled to get flights. But he pulled a few strings and when you’ve got a name like Mark Bosnich you can do that.”

Once on the pitch, McKinna’s early impressions were positive. He was particularly pleased to hear Bosnich’s voice bellowing out in a practice match.

He said: “He’s been very lively and keen to be here. He just got off a flight so I think it shows the guy is serious when he’s just come up the F3 to come straight to training. I’m sure he’ll sleep this afternoon.

“He was fine, worked with John Crawley most of the morning, but when he came into the game it was his presence in goal, the talking, he never shut his mouth. That’s always great coming from a goalkeeper, organising defences and giving out good information. I think it was pretty promising.

“Usually goalkeepers don’t do running after training but he did. It’s a bit strange. It must have been the jet lag!

“He’ll be in here tomorrow and then on Saturday, Sunday and Monday he’ll train with John Crawley down in Sydney.

“When we come back from New Zealand and start training on Tuesday he’ll have had five good sessions under his belt.”

Off the pitch, McKinna said Bosnich had not been afforded any superstar status by the Mariners players.

He said: “He fitted in the dressing room straightway. The boys were taking the mickey about all the press (present at training).”

And whether Bosnich signs or not, the Mariners boss believes two weeks working with Bosnich is terrific news for his two existing young keepers.

“For Danny and Andrew Redmayne, training with someone like Mark Bosnich is going to be great for them,” said McKinna.

To see Bozza back in training...