Sheffield Wednesday’s Sean McAuley is leaving Hillsborough after six years as the Club’s Academy Manager to join American MLS outfit Portland Timbers.
McAuley will take up his new position as Assistant Head Coach with the Timbers later this month.
The 40-year-old joined the Owls in 2005 and, after taking control of the Academy a year later, successfully steered a raft of youth team players into the senior squad.
McAuley also took charge of first-team affairs on two occasions as caretaker boss.
He represented Portland Timbers during his playing days and will return to Oregon to continue his coaching career.
“It is a massive wrench for me to be leaving Sheffield Wednesday but this opportunity is a great one for me at this stage of my career,” McAuley told Wednesday’s website.
“Hillsborough is not a place I want to leave but Portland is a place I want to go.”
Owls chairman Milan Mandaric added: “Sean is a good man and a talented coach who is very dedicated.”
“He expressed a desire to take up this opportunity and although we did not want him to leave, he does so with our very best wishes.”
