Swimming: Thorpe tipped for return

Ian Thorpe. Photo / Getty Images

As Ian Thorpe looked set to confirm a stunning return to the pool, Olympic great Murray Rose cast doubt over the benefits of the swimming champion's expected comeback.

However, Kieren Perkins backed Australia's greatest Olympian to again threaten the record books at the 2012 London Games - six years after his initial retirement.

Thorpe's manager David Flaskas confirmed to AAP that his star charge would end months of speculation and hold a 2pm NZT press conference in Sydney today regarding his future.

The rumour mill had spun into overdrive since Thorpe, 28, was spotted in recent months training in Sydney and Australian head coach Leigh Nugent confirmed he had been in regular contact.

And the writing appeared to be on the wall after Flaskas confirmed Thorpe had been inspired by the incredible comeback of good friend Geoff Huegill - at 31, three years older than the nine-time Olympic medallist.

However, Rose believed Thorpe's return may hinder the progress of the much-maligned Australian men's swimming team.

While the men showed signs of improvement at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, Rose hinted that Thorpe's return may do more long-term harm than good.

"It's like asking 'does the Australian cricket team need Shane Warne?' - the answer is obviously no," four-time Olympic gold medallist Rose told AAP.

"There is an ebb and flow in every sport.

"You can't always be totally dominant.

"But if you look backwards then you are not developing your future talent as best as you can.

"And you are creating a dependence on the past that at best will last one or two major meets and then he is up and gone."

Rose - the only swimmer other than Thorpe to claim 400m freestyle gold at consecutive Olympics - said Huegill was clearly the inspiration for his comeback.

Huegill famously lost 45kg to come out of retirement and make a triumphant return at the 2010 Delhi Games.

But Rose believed Thorpe faced a much tougher challenge than Huegill.

"It is much more difficult for Ian to do that than someone like Huegill," he said.

"Because Huegill's initial target was to do a fast 50m butterfly, then he upped the ante and went out for 100m.

"But Thorpie's best distances are 200m and 400m (freestyle) and that is a totally different ball game.

"That would make life much more difficult to emulate what Skippy (Huegill) has done."

But Perkins could only see the benefits of a Thorpe comeback.

"Whenever an athlete of Ian's calibre suggests that they are going to get back into their sport there is always a lot of excitement," he told AAP.

"Australia is obviously struggling a little bit for a really strong international competitor in the pool.

"Someone like Ian will bolster the team - if he is back it will be extraordinary."

Two-time 1500m Olympic champ Perkins did not believe Thorpe risked tarnishing his reputation by launching a comeback.

"He is our greatest Olympic gold medal winner and he will be until another beats him and considering our current stocks that looks like it will never happen," he said.

If anything, Perkins believed Thorpe could follow in Huegill's footsteps and threaten his previous personal best times.

It's a scary thought considering Thorpe earned 13 individual world records.

"If he can do what he needs to do to prepare himself then I don't see there is any reason why he can't swim at the highest level," Perkins said.

"And the prospect of him doing personal best times is rather exciting as we all know his best times are world records.

"A person of his talent deserves to have the opportunity to try and fulfil all their life goals and ambitions."

Perkins said the Australian men's team should be looking forward to Thorpe "gracing" them with his presence, comparing the champion swimmer with basketball legend Michael Jordan.

"You just have to look back at other great champions coming back - the name that springs to mind is Michael Jordan," he said.

"The teams he played for in his comeback are still to this day rapt that he graced them with his presence - Ian is exactly the same in my mind."

Meanwhile, Michael Klim couldn't hide his excitement over Thorpe's imminent announcement.

"I think it is fantastic for the sport - and Australian sport in general," the three-time Olympian told AAP.

"I am biased but I think he finished a bit early.

"I just hope he wants to do it for the right reasons."

The former Olympic gold medallist believed Thorpe could follow in Huegill's footsteps on the comeback trail.

"I have no doubt Thorpie will get back to a high level - how high that's another story," he said.

"(But) I don't think you can undo all the good things that he did.
"People will always judge him on this comeback but it is obviously something he wants to do - I am very supportive of it."

- AAP