It's understood the contract extension of one year was signed off by Phoenix owner Terry Serepisos late this week ahead of the club's first home game of the season on Sunday against Perth.

Herbert initially signed a three year deal when the club was formed in just five months in 2007.

The vote of confidence in Herbert comes after the club went within a whisker of making the A-League finals in only its second year last season.

Herbert, a UEFA A and an Australian A accredited coach, is the busiest A-League boss in the competition. He is also in charge of national team, the All-Whites, set to face either Bahrain or Saudi Arabia in their final World Cup qualifier in the next few months.

It's been an impressive year so far for the New Zealand national team under Herbert. At the 2009 Confederations Cup they drew 0-0 with Asian champions Iraq after losses to European champion Spain and hosts South Africa.

The biggest shock hough came as New Zealand went within minutes of defeating World Cup champion Italy in a friendly in South Africa. The 4-3 loss is said to have pricked the ears of at least one interested A-League club as well as a foreign club for Herbert's services.

Herbert starred for New Zealand in their 1982 World Cup campaign and went on to play for English club Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aussie club Sydney Olympic in the 1980s.