South Island United have announced that Head Coach Rob Sherman will be departing the club, as they look ahead to preparations for the 2027 OFC Pro League season.
The experienced Welshman led the New Zealand side to the semi-finals earlier this year, narrowly missing out on a place in the final after a 1-0 defeat to Kiwi rivals Auckland FC.
Sherman was a key figure for the club as they established themselves as the newest professional football club in New Zealand and the first-ever to be based in the country's south island.
South Island United have subsequently announced that they are now in the process of recruiting a new Head Coach to lead the club into the 2027 season.
South Island United CEO Ryan Edwards thanked Rob for his contribution to the establishment of the club.
“Rob took on the challenge of helping us establish a completely new professional team and prepare it for its inaugural season. That required an enormous amount of work in a short period of time, and we are grateful for the commitment, experience and energy he brought to the role.
“Rob has made an important contribution to the foundations of South Island United. We thank him for his work with the club and the players and wish him every success in the future. Rob remains a supporter of the club and the wider project, and we are pleased to be concluding this chapter positively and with mutual respect.”
Rob Sherman expressed his pride at how the club has grown and wished the team well in their future development.
“It has been a real pleasure helping to establish South Island United and working with Slava, Ryan, the wider team and, of course, the players. I am proud of what we achieved during the club’s inaugural season and sincerely wish everyone involved every success moving forward. I will continue to follow and support the club’s progress with interest.”