Premier Soccer League club Free State Stars have announced the departure of coach Serame Letsoaka, becoming the latest South African side searching for a new tactician just days before the start of pre-season.
Stars are in fact already back at work, and although Belgian coach Jean Luscuito has been hotly tipped to take over, he is still contracted to National First Division side Black Leopards.
Stars join Polokwane City, Maritzburg United and Bloemfontein Celtic as clubs who are still all officially under caretaker managers.
"With Serame Letsoaka officially departing upon the expiry of his short-term contract, new technical changes will be implemented in due course," the club said in a statement.
One of those changes has already been affected and gives a greater hint that Luscuito will be the new head coach. His number two at Leopards, Selaotse Mosala, has been confirmed as second assistant at Stars alongside long-term club man David Vilakazi.
Stars only avoided relegation by a single point this season, winning just six of their 30 matches.
Letsoaka came on board in January after the departure of Italian coach Giovanni Solinas, having previously worked at provincial rivals Bloemfontein Celtic and Lamontville Golden Arrows.
He has previously worked as technical director of the South African Football Association, assistant with the senior national team and as a junior national team head coach.