OUTGOING Melbourne Heart coach John van't Schip has anointed assistant Ante Milicic as his successor, although he admits the final decision rests with the club.

Heart hosts a Gold Coast side in disarray at AAMI Park tonight, and the likely return of captain Fred and vice-captain Matt Thompson is a huge lift for a team seeking its first win in nine games.

Heart's inaugural coach announced his exit a fortnight ago and while his focus is on making the finals for the first time, van't Schip said both Milicic and youth team coach John Aloisi are senior coaches in waiting.

Aloisi took over Heart's youth team straight after retiring at the end of last season while Milicic, 37, has enjoyed a three-year apprenticeship with Sydney United (NSW Premier League) and assistant's roles with the Young Socceroos and Heart.

"I've said it would be best if coaches come from within the organisation and Ante is certainly a coach who is ready, but it's up to the club how they see it," van't Schip told the Herald Sun.

"In both I see a future head coach but it's up to the club to decide. But they won't find coaches who are that young, ambitious and that good.

"I told Ante himself that you have to make that first step at some stage. He's been coaching for a few years, including two years with me and two under-20 World Cups under Jan (Versleijen) and he had a good playing career.

"They're both very ambitious. Ante's been here from the beginning, he's very strict, eager to learn, constantly takes notes, he knows a lot of players and about the teams ... John is less experienced but he's made the transition from player to coach so fast it's as if he's been coaching for years."

Van't Schip has steered probably the A-League's most successful youth policy in promoting Eli Babalj, Curtis Good, Brendan Hamill, Aziz Behich and Craig Goodwin.

He said some of them were potential Socceroos but warned future success was not a given.

"It depends if they are focused on improving and not being satisfied in what they've achieved and that includes taking the risk to go to Europe in a year or two," he said.

Originally published as Ante's right man for Heart - Van't Schip