It comes after Scott Miller was shown the door by the club on Wednesday due to a disagreement on the club's football philosophy.

Phillips is currently coaching in the Malaysian second division with Negeri Sembilian FA who are vying for promotion back to the country's top tier competition.

"We were second at the halfway point scored 30 goals in 12 games," Phillips said. Management decided to change two of our foreign players who were our leading scorers and the new guys have taken a little time to adjust. We are now 4th and also into the quarter finals of Malaysia cup."

The Jets are expected to announce a replacement within the next 10 days and Phillips says his plans would fit into the club's current and long-term goal.

"I grew up representing Northern New South Wales and played in one of the few teams that won the national championships," Phillips said. I'm a supporter and want Newcastle to scale the heights of the A-League and one day Asia. I have the qualifications and close to 20 years professional coaching in five different countries I've done my apprenticeship."

Jets CEO Lawrie Mckinna welcomed the interest in the top job , but said the club won't rush into an announcement despite the kick off to the A-League season under four weeks away.

"It's not an ideal situation but we must choose wisely. It's not just who has done what in the past," he said. Whoever we appoint, they need to be working off the same page as we are."

Youth coach Clayton Zane has been put into a caretaker position until the new coach is named.