INTERIM coach Steven King fully supports Gold Coast's pursuit of Damien Hardwick, saying any club would love the three-time premiership coach as its leader.
Hardwick has been the frontrunner for the vacant Suns job since the moment Stuart Dew was sacked last month, with CEO Mark Evans and chairman Bob East making a trip to Italy last week to pitch to the former Richmond boss.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, King said although he had designs on being the main man himself one day, he was committed to Gold Coast and would happily work under a new coach.
"Clearly the club would have an ideal candidate in place and if that's transpired, if Dimma's someone they've got an eye on, that's terrific for the club," King said.
"A three-time premiership coach would be someone every club would love to have.
"For us, it doesn't really change … anything at all.
"For the playing group, we've got motivation to finish the year really strongly. If the players can grab motivation knowing there's someone watching from afar and seeing how we go about it, that's great."
King has two wins and two losses since taking over the caretaker role, notching victories against top-eight teams St Kilda and Brisbane at home, while falling to Greater Western Sydney and Adelaide on the road.
The Suns face Sydney at the SCG on Saturday.
"For me, I got this opportunity and experience, it's one I'm really grateful for. I've really enjoyed it," King said.
"I think you never really know what it's like until you've done it. The last month has been a challenge, but one I've found really comfortable doing.
"I've got ambitions in the future, but I'm also really committed here and driving this group forward.
"Whatever that looks like in the future, I'm really happy to play my role being an assistant coach and moving forward with our young group.
"I'm sure Damien is sitting back, if that was the case, or the new coach, whoever that may be, and is looking at our group thinking 'we've got a really good footy department here'."
