KEY POINTS:
The coaches' merry-go-round continues at the two Auckland clubs in the New Zealand Football Championship.
After steering Waitakere United to victory in the O-League, Steve Cain will not be taking the team to the World Club Cup in Japan in December.
And at Kiwitea St, New Zealand under-17 coach Colin Tuaa is just a signature away from replacing interim coach Paul Marshall at Auckland City.
Marshall filled in after Roger Wilkinson's hasty departure a few weeks into the 2006-07 season but work commitments precluded him from continuing in the role.
Asked when Tuaa was likely to start work at the club, chairman Ivan Vuksich said: "Monday. Colin Tuaa has been appointed and we are 99 per cent he will be in place very soon. There are just a couple of loose ends to be tied up."
There will be some changes in the playing personnel with Jonathan Smith heading to Japan for a couple of years and former All White Jonathan Perry calling it quits.
Vuksich said Grant Young had also intimated he might retire but that has yet to be confirmed.
"No players have yet been signed for next season," said Vuksich. While Cain said he would have liked to continue with the club - he followed Chris Milicich into the job on a two-year contract - he was unable to commit to the new full-time director of coaching role the club was pursuing.
"We have had a hugely successful season and my preference would have been to carry on for a further year to build on our recent success," said Cain.
"But with the news that the club is looking at a full-time role, I have reluctantly had to step away.
"With a young family to consider, I came to the decision, after much thought about the security such a role offers, that it was not enough to commit to and turn my back on my teaching career."
Club chairman Rex Dawkins paid tribute to the work done by Cain in getting the club on to the world stage.
"While we acknowledge the results Steve Cain achieved we, as a board, felt it was time to make a change," said Dawkins.
"We won't, however, make a full-time appointment just for the sake of it. If we do not find a suitably qualified person for the role we will review the position."
Tuaa's impending appointment at City continues the close correlation of clubs and the national body.
New Zealand under-20 coach Stu Jacobs is to take over from Mick Waitt at Team Wellington, Hawkes Bay United coach Jonathon Gould is goalkeeping coach with the national under-20 side, and All Whites coach Ricki Herbert is with A-League club Wellington Phoenix.
The fourth NZFC season is scheduled for a November 3-4 kick-off and will be preceded by a pre-season tournament over Labour weekend with an October 28 final.
New Zealand Football competitions manager Glyn Taylor said yesterday that the search for a sponsor remains "work in progress" but did not confirm the entry fee for the eight clubs had risen by $20,000 to $65,000.
