Lincoln Doull threw his hat into the ring to coach the Hawke's Bay senior men's cricket team but found no traction.
"I was available and could have done it but, dare I say, they were more keen to keep Skippy [Mathew Sinclair] in the game," says Doull who was Baycoach for the past four summers.
"It probably wouldn't have worked with both of us," the former first-class cricketer says.
However, he emphasises there's no animosity at all between the pair.
"It was good to catch up with Skippy last weekend," says the elder brother of former Black Caps international seamer Simon Doull.
He had enjoyed his stint at the helm of the team but feels "it'll be flipping hard with the loss of a few players" this summer.
The Hereworth School sports co-ordinator has no senior or premier club aspirations, hoping to spend time coaching the age-group team of his son, Logan, a year 5 pupil, at Havelock North Cricket Club.
Doull coached the Bay to two Chapple Cup wins in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
