Former Kiwi international Leo Bertos has resigned as head coach of Northern NSW NPL side Weston Bears, leaving assistant Anthony Richards to take the reins for the rest of the season.
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Bertos told players at training on Tuesday night of his decision to stand aside.
The Bears, who were playing Lake Macquarie in a catch-up game on Wednesday night at Macquarie Field, sat seventh on the ladder on 14 points from 11 games at the time of Bertos' departure.
The 40-year-old took over from another former World Cup player, Kew Jaliens, at Weston and was in his third season as head coach, a position he took up in January 2020 when also working as acting technical director of Northern NSW Football.
The move prompted his axing by NNSWF, who believed it was a conflict of interest.
The former Wellington Phoenix player challenged the decision in court but was unsuccessful.
Bertos, who earlier played with Newcastle Olympic in the NNSW NPL, steered the Bears to seventh in 2020 and sixth, just outside the top five on goals after 16 rounds, in the COVID-shortened 2021 season.