Keelan Hamilton has stepped aside after just three games in charge of Edgeworth because he didn't feel part of the club's future and was therefore unable to make decisions on his squad's management.
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Former Mariners stalwart Josh Rose, who has the required coaching accreditation, will take over as interim coach for the rest of the season while remaining a player at the Northern NSW NPL defending champions.
Hamilton took over on the eve of the season after four-time premiership coach Damian Zane stepped down following his shock news that he would join arch rivals Broadmeadow in 2021.
Hamilton, new to the club this season as an assistant to the four-time coach of the year, then guided Edgeworth to wins over Maitland, Adamstown and Charlestown.
He stepped down after the 1-0 victory over Charlestown on Monday night at Speers Point. Hamilton was sent from the pitch, along with assistant Rod Linsley, for dissent. However, Hamilton had told the club last week he was resigning after the match, despite efforts from the Eagles to change his mind.
"The on-field stuff is great and I've got to give full marks to the players, they've been fully respectful and supportive since Damian stepped away," Hamilton said.
"Their commitment and focus has been great and it's shown in the results.
"Unfortunately for me it had become, in my opinion, clear that I wasn't going to be in the picture next year, and for me to give those players what I believe they deserve, which is clear certainty around who is going to be making the decisions, who's going to be making selections, and obviously we're right in the midst of retention and signing players for next year, so I thought it was only right that the group had a clear direction.
"I didn't feel I was in a position to make clear decisions around squad management.
"The club have been good. There's nothing bad there, but it was just going to be a pretty difficult scenario, and it is one at the minute.
"It's disappointing to leave now but I think it's the right thing to do."
The former Jets academy and New Lambton WPL coach, and Newcastle W-League assistant, came to the Eagles only after the delayed start to the season brought about by COVID-19.
He believed the appointment of Rose as his replacement was a positive move for Edgeworth.
"That really does give the players certainty, because he's going to be there as a player," he said. "That's continuity and I think that's a really good thing for the group.
"It will make it easier on the players. They've got someone there who's going to be there long-term who's going to make those decisions. It will make it a lot smoother, rather than having someone who no one knows if it's going to be five weeks, 10 weeks or longer."
Edgeworth administrator Warren Mills was disappointed to lose Hamilton.
"We were determined to give him a fair go, we wanted to have a look at him," Mills said.
"He looks like he's got plenty of ability. He took over in a tough situation and the boys have been winning. I've watched his sessions and he does a great job, the players and club were happy with him.
"But he's decided to pull the pin, which was a bit of a shock."
Mills was pleased, though, to give Rose an opportunity.
"We're more than happy with the end result," he said.
"We've always been a strong club and we've been able to promote from within quite often. Josh is going to do the rest of the year. He already knows all the players and he's obviously a very knowledgeable footballer, so we've ended up in a great position."
Hamilton said he had no plans for his next coaching role but he hoped to be part of the Jets' W-League staff again. He was an assistant last season to Craig Deans, then Ash Wilson.
"That's something I would be looking to continue with and I'm open to whatever else might happen," he said.
