Melbourne City coach John van 't Schip resigns; Josep Gombau may be his successor

Melbourne City coach John van 't Schip was torn between his career and family. On New Year's Day, he informed the City's hierarchy of his decision to resign. He is now heading to his native Holland.

Van 't Schip wanted to prioritise the welfare of his seriously ill father. He said there was only one right decision.

"I did not want my personal circumstances to impact the club in any way. I would like to thank everyone at Melbourne City and the City Football Group for their support. The club's development since its creation will always be a source of great personal pride to me," the former Melbourne City coach stated in a statement.

Michael Valkanis, one of Melbourne City's assistant coaches, will temporarily take charge. He was chosen as interim first team coach. It will remain to be the case until the club finds an official replacement for Van 't Schip.

Valkanis has spent numerous seasons in the coaching team at Adelaide United. He is also a former Socceroo centre back. He already got the chance to work with Adelaide's former coach, Spaniard Josep Gombau. Talk is rampant that ex-Barcelona development coach Gombau or a big name from oversees will be Van 't Schip’s successor. Gombau is currently a member of the national team setup. He is working alongside Postecoglou and Ante Milicic with the Socceroos.

Van 't Schip is making an exit with Melbourne City in the fourth place on the A-League ladder. His presence has been pivotal to the club’s seven-year history. The club has already released a statement regarding the resignation of Van 't Schip. It expressed its gratitude for his services. The club said Van 't Schip has ongoing support as his focus rightly turns to his family.