Gary van Egmond has replaced Ash Wilson as Newcastle Jets coach for the remainder of the A-League Women's season.
The club made the announcement on Thursday afternoon as the 10th-placed Jets prepared for a tough eight-day stretch in which they play three matches.
Van Egmond led Newcastle's men's team to the 2008 A-League championship and returned to the club for a third stint this campaign as Jets Academy technical director and the women's team technical advisor.
The 57-year-old will continue the Academy role while also coaching the club's women's team, who have not given up on making finals with eight games still remaining.
Wilson, who also works full-time in teaching, was in her third season as head coach at the Jets after serving five years as Craig Deans' assistant.
But the 39-year-old's position as coach is believed to have come under increasing pressure due to a string of poor results.
Newcastle are second-last on eight points after 10 outings. They are two points above last-placed Wellington and 11 adrift of fourth place.
While they have shown plenty of promise in attack, scoring in all but two games, the Jets have by far the leakiest defence in the league.
They have conceded a whopping 28 goals - six more than any other team - and have recorded only one clean sheet, when they beat Adelaide 2-0 on New Year's Eve in a performance that the club and fans hoped proved a turning point after some heavy defeats.
But losses to Sydney (4-2), Canberra (5-1) and Western Sydney (1-0) followed.
The Newcastle Herald understands the Jets told Wilson on Wednesday night that van Egmond would be stepping up for the remainder of the season as interim coach but she was welcome to remain part of the coaching staff.
Wilson reportedly declined the offer and chose to step aside. The Herald tried to contact her on Thursday but received no reply.
The Jets women have only twice made finals since the A-League competition began - in 2008 and in 2017-18.
They finished eighth of 10 teams last season, just three points off the bottom of the table after being hard hit by COVID and injury, and were eighth of nine sides in 2020-21 when they had no international players.
This campaign the club have brought in four Americans in defenders Emily Garnier and Cannon Clough and attacking players Sarah Griffith and Murphy Agnew, who have all proven key assets.
Whether the coaching change can turn around the Jets' fortunes remains to be seen.
Van Egmond's first test comes when Newcastle look to turn the tables on eighth-placed Canberra United (11 points) at No.2 Sportsground on Sunday.
The Jets lost 5-1 when the two sides met in Canberra on January 14 but the latter are coming off successive 5-0 routs of their own.
Newcastle then meet league leaders Western United (27) in Ballarat on Wednesday night before flying to Perth to take on Glory (9) Sunday week.
Mathematically, finals are not beyond the realms of possibility, but it would take a Herculean effort from the Jets and other results also playing in their favour.
Van Egmond, who coached the Jets men from 2006-2009 and 2011-2014, has also worked with the Matildas, Young Socceroos, Olyroos and Western Sydney.
Jets executive chairman Shane Mattiske thanked Wilson for her efforts in a statement released by the club on Thursday.
"On behalf of the Newcastle Jets, our players, our partners, our members and all associated with women's football in the region, I want to thank Ash for her absolute focus on elite women's football at the Jets," Mattiske said.
"Ash has given her all to support the development of young female players and the success of our elite women's team and she deserves great credit for this personal commitment.
"We understand that the demands of coaching at the elite level of football are unrelenting, particularly within the women's game.
"Ash has managed this as head coach for the three seasons whilst also being an important leader within her professional teaching career and we thank her for this sacrifice."
