Working alongside Wollongong chairman Tory Lavalle, the former A-League referee has been tasked with finding a replacement for outgoing coach Luke Wilkshire.

It's a decision that could define Delovski's tenure and will have a major bearing on the Wolves aspirations to join a National Second Division or the A-League.

Read more: Wilkshire makes his mark at the Wolves: Timpano

Should a coach build on Wilkshire's success, he will have the opportunity to send a message to football power brokers of the need for Wollongong to have a presence at the highest level.

But if results fall away on the field and the team loses their way under a new leader, the Wolves' long stay in the A-League wilderness will continue indefinitely.

Delovski was in high demand over the weekend and he recognises the importance of this decision.

"While it's just a coach, it's not just a coach," Delovski said.

"It's a person that needs to connect with the community. We're a football club, but we're quite unique that we also represent the region.

"We will go through the process, see what's out there and make an appointment as soon as we can.

"It's important we get the right person for the job that's going to take the club forward."

David Carney has been linked to the role, the former Socceroos star recently moving into coaching.

While Delovski will play a key role in identifying the next leader of the Wolves, Lavalle will ultimately have the final say.

Having talked Wilkshire into becoming a coach at the conclusion of his playing career, the chairman is determined to ensure the former Socceroo's replacement enjoys similar success in Wollongong.

"So many people have put their hand up for the job, but we need that X-factor," Lavalle said. "We want our kids to go forward, we want the club to go forward.

"We need a bloke who's got contacts, who local kids want to play for. Luke's done a great job, now we need someone who can continue what Luke has done. We need another professional, another football guy, someone who knows the system."

Delovski stepped into the CEO role with a vision to unite football in the region.

It's an outcome that must be achieved in order for the Wolves to be treated seriously by Football Australia, a fact that was laid bare during the most recent round of A-League expansion.

Since stepping into the hornet's nest, Delovski has attempted to break bread with Football South Coast, Illawarra Premier League clubs and the Stingrays.

They're relationships the Wolves leader is confident will eventually lead to better results for all footballers in the Illawarra.

"Coming in, I've been able to bring people together to sit down and talk," Delovski said. "I don't think those relationships have been the best over the last few years, but we've started that process.

"We've been able to sit down, chat to key stakeholders and talk about the vision in the future.

"Everyone talks about A-League and that's fantastic, but as I've talked about since day one, we've got to get the structure right. The fundamentals are first and foremost, before we can even talk about A-League."

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