Fowler was today said to have offered to take a pay-cut of around $200,000 a year to player-coach Fury.

The former Liverpool legend has always maintained that coaching is part of his long-term vision but where that would leave Ferguson is unclear.

When asked to comment, a shocked  Ferguson said he wasn't aware of the reports but said he had no plans to quit the troubled franchise..

"I don't want to comment because there's been so much rubbish written about this club," he told au.fourfourtwo.com this morning.

"I'm not going to say anything other than I've got a three year contract and I've got two years left on it."

Meanwhile, FFA remain tight-lipped over Fury's future. They have publicly said they'd like to see a spread of local investors rather than the one backer in Don Matheson.

However, Townsville City Council has come to the party with a cash injection of $1m over the next five years, but these are still uncertain times for the A-League up north.

A-League supremo Archie Fraser remained tightlipped when quizzed on guarantees for Fury's future, the search for other investors and if the FFA would help fund the club in a World Cup bid year.

Fraser told au.fourfourtwo.com today: "There is no further update. At this point, we are working through things with the club."