Football Federation Australia are scheduled to announce on October 31 which two of eight hopefuls have won the race to swell the league from 10 to 12 clubs.

And WMG, which has already unveiled grandiose blueprints for a self-funded stadium and training complex, is already scouring world markets for a coach to turn their dreams of winning the league in their debut season into a reality.

FFA are keeping the bidders guessing but it’s understood that WMG have emerged as the favoured option for a third license in Victoria, where they’re going head-to-head with Team 11 and South Melbourne.

The team behind the bid, which includes respected player agent Lou Sticca and former Socceroo Steve Horvat, have held initial discussions with “numerous coaches in Europe”, and are close to drawing up a short-list of candidates “who understand the scope and aspirations of the project.”

Renowned marquee hunter Sticca - the man who brought the likes of Dwight Yorke, Alessandro Del Piero and Shinji Ono to the A-League - is spearheading the search.

He was also responsible for recruiting Pierre Littbarksi to Sydney FC, with the German leading the club to the inaugural A-League crown in 2005.

“We have already commenced conversations with numerous coaches in Europe, some of these conversations have progressed to a more detailed point so we are getting closer to a shortlist of quality candidates who know of our plans and know we’re a new club in the making,” Sticca explained.

“They know we don’t have any players or staff and that we have yet to get license from FFA.

“They’re aware that we start with a clean sheet of paper and have to build a football department in six months to start the season in 10 months time (October 2019).”

Sticca’s contact book is extensive, having also played a leading role in bringing the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal to Australia for exhibition matches.

“Some of those we’re talking to have coached in the UK and mainland Europe’s top flight as recently as this year,” he added.

“The reality is that if we are granted a license we need to act quickly, and that’s what we’ll do.

“The concept of starting a new club is tough to explain to a European coach but we’ve been down this path before with Pierre Littbarski at Sydney FC.”

Sticca has also made contact with several marquee player targets, and their representatives, with a sprinkling of star dust viewed as a prerequisite by WMG.

“We’re looking at players coming out of contract to avoid paying transfer fees,” he explained.

“Foreign non-marquees are also a big target for us but the new coach will be crucially involved in the recruitment process there, hence the need to make an appointment as quickly as possible after winning the license.

“We’ve already been inundated with enquiries from players and agents from Australia and elsewhere outside Australia to push their cases.

“We’re also talking to potential coaches for our W-league teams and Youth team including NPL.

“The license application is strictly for A-League but we hope to be able to start with our W-League and Youth teams as soon we get admitted.”

The club, in true Sticca fashion, have already lined-up a European opponent for next July 2019 as they bid to hit the ground running.

And they are in advanced discussions with well credentialed local coaches to help identify the brightest home-grown prospects and will be looking to recruit up to six players from the NPL, which Sticca believes is an untapped reservoir of talent.

The team’s colours, a name and a crest will decided by fans, with hundreds of suggestions through the club’s website currently being collated and short-lists being drawn up.

“It’s all about the supporters and we plan to have the cheapest game day tickets and season tickets in the A-League,” said Horvat, who champions the Bundesliga model where tickets are amongst the cheapest in Europe.

“We’ll be aiming to win the competition in our first season. Everyone here will understand that goal. If they think it’s too ambitious then they’re not for us. We know it can be done.”

Horvat said the selection of the coach would be predicated on bringing with him “an exciting brand of high tempo, attacking football”.

“It’s all to do with exciting people with a style you see most commonly in the English Premier League,” he added.

“It’s the most-watched competition in the world for a reason and we want to duplicate that as best we can.

“We’ll appoint somebody who wants to follow the vision we’ve set for the club.

“You see the excitement that the signing of Keisuke Honda has brought to Melbourne Victory during the pre-season, that’s something we will try to emulate - and then some.”