Is New Zealand and Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert the man who will replace Pim Verbeek in the strong likelihood that the Dutchman will walk away from the Socceroos after the World Cup?
While it would be a selection from left field, Herbert ticks all the boxes when it comes to the desired background of any future Socceroos coach, especially one who would be fulfilling an 18-month role until a big-name European coach can be lured Down Under for the 2014 World Cup campaign.
International experience - TICK.
By the time the post becomes vacant in June and July, Herbert will offer that rarest of qualities, having both played and coached at a World Cup.
However the All Whites perform in the World Cup, he has done a terrific job to get them to South Africa, not to mention what he has achieved in three seasons at Wellington.
Local knowledge - TICK.
The next Socceroos coach is going to have to have a strong knowledge of the A-League, with a primarily locally-based side likely to take the field in the Asian Cup in Qatar next January.
Herbert is the second-most experienced current A-League coach and as well as coming up against Australia's best local talent on a weekly basis, has at least two players at the Phoenix who could be considered for selection for the Asian Cup.
Track Record - TICK.
The Phoenix sit on the precipice of an A-League Grand Final just three years after Herbert rode in on his white horse and rescued the credibility of New Zealand football by taking over the job at the NZ Knights, a club in its death throes, before resurrecting things with the Phoenix.
Technical knowledge - TICK.
Herbert's two sides, the All Whites and the Phoenix, play technically sound football, based on solid defence and quick movement of the ball.
While Herbert's game plan is more expansive than that employed by Verbeek, it will suit Australia against Asian opposition.
Asian experience - TICK.
Herbert coached the All Whites to victory in the two-legged playoff against Bahrain to qualify for the World Cup. He knows what it takes to travel with a national side and integrate players from different leagues into the one side.
Availability - TICK.
With New Zealand's own World Cup cycle not beginning until later in 2011, Herbert would be available to oversee the Socceroos preparations for the Asian Cup. While he may still have club commitments with Wellington, he has managed to balance dual roles this year with aplomb.
He not only fulfils all the necessary criteria at well within FFA's budget, he offers something that Verbeek didn't, a commitment to play exciting attacking football.
Nobody appreciates the necessity of marketing the game to the people better than Herbert who in his time in charge of the Phoenix has spoken many times of the need to play the sort of football that people want to watch.
The result of that has been an astonishing surge in attendances at Wellington home games this season.
The final four games of the season saw a combined 100,000 people attend Phoenix games, a massive effort seeing the New Zealand capital has a population of under 400,000.
When taken in the context of the declining crowds across the A-League this season, it is an even bigger achievement.
The only reason that Herbert would not be considered as a contender for the Socceroos is his passport.
But for a country that has previously had coaches born in Holland, Argentina, England, Scotland, Serbia, Germany, Bosnia and Slovakia, who are we to snub a Kiwi?
It's not as if a New Zealand coach in charge of an Australia national team is a new thing. Robbie Deans, a man who a lot of our Kiwi brothers and sisters think should be coaching the All Blacks, has been the Wallabies coach since 2008.
With whoever replaces Verbeek only likely to be in the job until the next World Cup qualification campaign begins, why not give it to Herbert, who has achieved the most of any A-League coach this season considering the talent he has had at his disposal?
Upon completing his duties, he can return to the All Whites a better coach and New Zealand football will be better for his experience.
Of course Herbert would have to be convinced of the merits of taking on the role, but he doesn't strike you as a person who is frightened of taking on a challenge.