Melbourne Heart coach John van 't Schip has confirmed he'll leave the club at the end of the season.
The Dutchman, who has overseen the fledgling club through their first two years, is set to return to Europe for family reasons.
Under the former Ajax and Genoa player and Dutch international, Heart failed to make the finals in their first year but are currently in the running to make the post-season action, currently sitting fifth on the table.
The announcement of van 't Schip's planned departure comes ahead of Saturday's Melbourne derby, which is set to play a major role in the two Melbourne's clubs hopes of playing in the finals.
Chairman Peter Sidwell believed van 't Schip had excelled in the job of nurturing the fledgling club.
"We wish to advise our inaugural head coach John van 't Schip will depart the Club following the completion of the current season," Sidwell said.
"John arrived in Melbourne with a clear vision for the establishment of this club, as a proponent of the fundamental belief in challenging the status quo by demonstrating the importance of developing youth and instilling an ethos underlined by playing attractive, attacking football."
"Drawing on the methods of former mentors Johan Cruyff and Louis van Gaal, John duly delivered on his promise, offering unparalleled opportunity for development and growth to some of our most exciting young talents, in addition to uncovering a number of diamonds in the rough."
"We are grateful to John for his on and off field contribution to our club, and hope the end of his tenure doesn’t mark the end of a relationship, but simply an evolution of our current one."