The search for a new Mariners head coach is on after the axing of Phil Moss on Friday made him the first coach to be sacked by the A-League club.
Former Brisbane Roar coach Mike Mulvey has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Moss, whose three-year contract was ended 15-months in after he guided the Mariners to only three wins from 19 games.
Last week's 0-0 draw with struggling Newcastle Jets proved the last straw with the Central Coast looking on track for the worst season in the club's distinguished history.
Walmsley, who remains in charge until the end if the season and will be assisted by skipper John Hutchinson in a player-coach role, managed a 1-0 victory over Melbourne City in his first game at the helm on Sunday.
Recently-appointed the technical director, Walmsley was also initially hired last month to head up player recruitment.
The likes of Isaka Cernak, Zac Anderson, Brent Griffiths, Travis Major and Hayden Morton all come off contract at the end of the season and Walmsley says the decisions surrounding the make up of the squad will affect who the right coach will be.
"I'll have a big say," he said.
"Certainly in terms of finding the coach that's the right fit for the squad model that we're going to go forward with.
"It's ideal for me to be coaching the team at the moment because I get first-hand experience with all the players, those off contract and those not and that's going to help the succession plan for next season and beyond.
"That will drive the recruitment both on the field and in the coaching department in terms of the type of coach we need."
Despite winning the title with Brisbane last season, Mulvey was controversially dumped just six games into this season.
He recently took up a short-term technical director's role in Malaysia but is believed to have been spotted recently in Gosford looking at real estate.
Tony Vidmar, head coach of the FFA centre of excellence and now coach of Australia's under-17s, could also be a candidate.
Vidmar, who played for the Mariners, is highly regarded.
