Salford City Reds owner Marwan Koukash would be “honoured” if former Great Britain coach Brian Noble took the vacant position at his club.

Koukash, who saved the Reds from liquidation before the current Super League season started, sacked Phil Veivers after five games and has tried to sign superstars such as Sam Tomkins.

The horse racing magnate has put up money in the hope of fulfilling his dream of ensuring they can become “the biggest club in the country”.

But he needs a new coach to make that happen and the names of Noble and well-regarded Australian Brian Smith have emerged as the front-runners.

Salford chief executive Ed Farish yesterday told Press Association Sport that he would not discuss specific names, but his boss tonight spoke highly of Noble.

In a live round-table interview with the BBC, which also had Noble as a participant, Koukash said: “This club, if managed properly over the next four years, could become the biggest club in the country.

“I am after the best coach I can get my hands on. Brian fits that bill and I would be honoured if we could work something out and Brian could become our coach.”

Noble has not held a full-time coaching position since he left the Crusaders at the end of the 2010 season, but remains one of the most successful tacticians of his era.

He won three Super League titles with Bradford Bulls and held the Great Britain role for three years.

Noble is expected to be at Salford's game with St Helens on Friday.

“Salford are the nearly team, really,” he said. “They need a vision and with that vision it (success) is achievable.

“They’ve always been the nearly men but when you look at the city of Salford and Manchester, it’s massively important to the game that we’re strong there.”

Another of Koukash’s moves was to try to snare veteran forward Adrian Morley from his contract at Warrington Wolves for a career swansong with his hometown club.

His failed attempt was met with criticism by Wolves coach Tony Smith, brother of Brian, but he admits Koukash still wants to sign the 35-year-old.

“Adrian is an iconic figure of this game and I know I upset a few people when I made an enquiry, but he is the ideal person for us,” he said.

“He is a Warrington player, but if he becomes available, I’ll be the first person to knock on his door.”