Tennis New Zealand called for applicants on Friday and Derlin and Nola immediately indicated their eagerness to remain in the post for the next two years.
The pair have enjoyed contrasting fortunes over the past two years, however, and Derlin is expected to come under pressure to hold on to
his job from a handful of former Davis Cup players, headed by the likes of Al Hunt, James Greenhalgh and Danny Willman.
Derlin oversaw New Zealand's slip back to the Asia/Oceania group 2 last year and failed to win promotion back to group 1 this season when his side were well beaten at home by Korea last month.
Admittedly it has not been an easy assignment following the retirement of Brett Steven, with only No 1 Mark Nielsen inside the top 630 players in the world, but it's understood he has his favourites and has struggled to relate to the younger players in the team who sometimes feel as if they don't know where they stand with him.
"We still have a lot of work to do but I am really heartened by the whole thing," Derlin said. "We've had to sift through a lot of stuff and fight a lot of fires. Now we've got young guys who actually want to play. I still have a lot to offer with them and the restructuring of Tennis New Zealand."
Willman, who played Davis Cup in 2001 and 2002, rose to 285 in the world rankings in only two years and is now a junior selector, is tempted but was not sure if he will apply because of the time it would involve.
"I am interested but I want to talk to Tennis New Zealand to get a clear understanding of the time involved," he said. "I have already worked with quite a few guys in the team.
"It would be good to see one of the younger guys [like myself, Al or James] get it because we've just been out on the circuit and have a good understanding of what it involves."
In contrast to Derlin, Nola has guided the Fed Cup side to within match-point of the world group qualifying after years in the doldrums. With a team headed by world No 210 Marina Erakovic (who is also the world's 13th-ranked junior) and including the Marama sisters, Paula and Eden, and Sacha Jones, there is excitement within women's tennis.
"We've done really well in that time because in previous years [of the Fed Cup] we went trying to stay in the group. Now we are actually one of the contenders," Nola said. "I'm pretty confident because we've taken huge steps in the last two years. I don't know why they'd look at someone else but you never know." Applications close on November 11.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
Tennis New Zealand called for applicants on Friday and Derlin and Nola immediately indicated their eagerness to remain in the post for the next two years.
The pair have enjoyed contrasting fortunes over the past two years, however, and Derlin is expected to come under pressure to hold on to
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