Ernie Merrick has emerged as a potential candidate for the vacant Newcastle Jets coaching job.
The former Melbourne Victory boss and ex-Central Coast Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna are the two names being heavily linked with the Jets role after Branko Culina was sensationally sacked by owner Nathan Tinkler.
Two-time A-League Coach of the Year Merrick finished up at the Victory in March this year after six seasons in which he won two titles (2006/07 and 2008/09) and led the club to another Grand Final in the 2009/10 season.
McKinna spent about five years with the Mariners before moving into a football operations job prior to him taking the coaching job with Chinese Super League outfit Chengdu Blades from which he resigned in August this year.
