The left-footed set-piece specialist has been contacted by Football Federation Australia officials with a view to joining the club brought into the league to replace his former employers.

But it is believed Severino, who returned to Marconi when his one-year deal with Gold Coast expired, is reluctant to make a decision until the new team appoints a senior coach.

Ante Milicic and Tony Popovic have both been sounded out for that position.

Milicic however is in the running for the vacant role at Melbourne Heart, and Popovic is said to be keen to stay on as an assistant at Crystal Palace.

Announced last week at a hastily-organized press conference at Valentine Sports Park, the second Sydney franchise was not expected to enter the competition until the 2013/14 season but now faces the challenging task of getting everything ready for an October start.

The FFA says it will establish a board of directors and an independent management committee to run the club, but has already kicked off the hunt for talent.

As with Severino, it may be difficult for players to be convinced to sign on without knowing who will pick the team and where they will fit in the pecking order.

But the Marconi product is seen as an ideal first-up signing, with the club targeting a number of homegrown players from the NSW Premier League in order to help build ties with the community.

The 30-year-old stunned fans at Lambert Park on the weekend with a majestic 35-metre free kick that secured a 1-0 victory for the four-time Australian champions against APIA-Leichhardt.

In a sign of the tense relations between FFA and the local clubs, officials from Marconi are upset that the federation spoke directly with their marquee player and not with them first, as per general convention.

Severino's opportunities at Gold Coast were limited under Miron Bleiberg, with the midfielder restricted to 12 bench appearances in their wooden spoon campaign.

However, his crowning moment came on Boxing Day last year, when the former Millwall and Piacenza man was substituted into United's M1 Derby clash with Brisbane and ended up scoring a last-gasp penalty to win the game.