The one-time Northern Spirit and Newcastle United coach is currently Pierre Littbarksi's deputy at Japanese club Avispa Fukuoka in the J2-League.

He left to join Littbarski after Terry Butcher took over at Sydney, but was also interviewed for the Norwich job after Nigel Worthington's departure last year.

Bookies in the UK now have him as second most likely to get the job at odds of 5-1 behind favourite, former Wigan boss Paul Jewell.

However friends of the ex-Premier League manager say it is still too soon for Jewell to return to football after feeling the pressure last season.

Crook is a former Norwich City midfielder with close links with the Championship club and has constantly been linked to a management post there over the past seven years.

But his last ten years out of English football - including a spell as national team coach for American Samoa, the side beaten 31-0 by the Socceroos - may work against him.

Birmingham's Steve Bruce, Dion Dublin, Mark Bowen and Martin Allen are also said to be in the running for the job, according to bookmakers.