John Mitchell believes Richard Graham should be the next Western Force coach - but not until the 2012 Super Rugby season.

Mitchell dismissed rumours he is set to leave the Force to coach the struggling Lions next season, confirming he will see out the final year of his contract with the Perth-based franchise before stepping aside.

But Mitchell revealed he is in talks with the Lions to take up a consultancy role for their upcoming Currie Cup season, which kicks off on July 9.

"I'm here right until the end of my contract so I'll be coaching the Western Force next year," Mitchell said.

"There has been discussions in coaching Currie Cup only between now and next Super 14.

"That's only been discussions, there's been no decision made.

"I'm entitled to annual leave, I've got quite a bit up my sleeve.

"I can still fulfil my duties here.

"In the last five years I do very little at this time of year except plan and reflect."

Graham, who spent seven years in the UK coaching English clubs Bath and Saracens before joining the Wallabies' set-up as a skills coach, linked up with the Force at the start of the year as an assistant.

Mitchell said Graham was the perfect candidate for the Force head job once he stepped aside.

"That would be a much easier situation to create that transition," Mitchell said.

"He has got exceptional knowledge in both attack and defence, he's experienced professional rugby in England for a very long period of time in a long competition, he's currently an international rugby coach and he's a very solid person under pressure."

Mitchell said even if Graham didn't get the nod, he would like the incoming coach to have some sort of role at the Force in 2011.

"Whoever it may be it's clearly the opportunity to create a transition to make sure they fully understand where every player is at physically, mentally and skill wise," he said.

"It does create a smoother transition.

"It doesn't always happen at a lot of clubs that way, normally it's coach gone and coach in.

"But we're a bit more mature than that here and having been the inaugural coach there's an enormous amount of information I can pass on."

The Force hope to name their coach for the 2012 season within the next two months and captain Nathan Sharpe said the sooner, the better.

"Players want to know what the future holds," Sharpe said.

"When players make a decision one of the biggest things is who's going to be in charge of the ship, so that's something the club is working on at the moment."

Meanwhile, former Springboks five-eighth Andre Pretorius is a chance to play on with the Force next season despite a serious hamstring injury ruling him out of the entire 2010 Super campaign.

The Force are desperate to secure Queensland playmaker Quade Cooper but are exploring other options in the likely event Cooper remains with the Reds.

Pretorius is aiming to play in this year's Currie Cup competition for the Sharks and Mitchell said the 31-year-old would be looked at if he made it through the season.

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