Disgraced Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich takes a major step in rebuilding his colourful career when he starts a two-week trial with Central Coast on Thursday.

Mariners head coach Lawrie McKinna is planning on the former Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa stopper filling the breach for five matches during the last part of Danny Vukovic's A-League suspension.

But firstly the 36-year-old must prove that he still has the skills following six years out of the professional arena.

Bosnich's career unravelled in late 2002 after being sacked for failing a doping test with Chelsea - the gloveman having since admitted to a $5000-a-week cocaine addiction.

He started training with English club side QPR last year but it could be this opportunity on home soil that re-ignites his career.

McKinna has no fears the London-based goalkeeper will be a bad influence at Gosford following several phone conversations with him during the past week.

"He wants to come back as a footballer and to do that he needs to be on the straight and narrow," he told AAP.

"We would expect Mark to come in here as a model professional and hopefully show people how good he was and how good he possibly could be."

Bosnich is not being considered for Sunday's A-League pre-season cup match against the Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand but could be named for Sunday week's home match with Sydney FC.

"If he can prove that he deserves a spot in our team it could be a springboard for him for Europe to get back to the game over there," said McKinna.

"We all know he was one of the best goalkeepers in the world, if not the best.

"He is fit, he is hungry and wants to prove himself.

McKinna admitted he could be tempted to play him against Sydney FC but would only do so if Bosnich was ready to go.

"It is too early to say when he will play but it is a possibility and there would not a bigger game than if it were against Sydney and if that was the case there could be 20,000 people at Bluetongue," he said.

"He will be one of the better known trialists I would have thought."