Waterford United chairman Martin Colbert yesterday dismissed the idea that Pat Dolan might take over as manager at the club after Brendan Rea was informed on Thursday night that he would not be offered a new deal for the 2006 season.

Rea was in charge for the latter part of the campaign just finished and was assisted for the last eight games by Dolan.

The club's former captain, however, is said to have wanted the job on a full-time and long-term basis while the club's preference is to make an appointment on a one-year part-time basis which, says Colbert, made Rea a less than ideal candidate.

"Brendan was our preferred man for the job, we would have loved to give it to him but the circumstances just weren't right and we had to take a tough decision," he says. "I watched last year as Brendan tried to juggle the manager's job with shift work at Waterford Crystal and I just didn't feel it was working."

Colbert said that the club will now weigh up their options before making an appointment. The process could take a number of weeks. He said that the priorities are to stabilise the club and secure Premier Division status while keeping a firm grip on finances and developing an entirely new coaching structure.

"The hope is to bring a lot more coaches into the club over the next few years and to establish a system for developing talent from across the south-east," he said. "It's very much a long-term plan but we strongly believe it's the way forward for the club."

Damien Brennan, meanwhile, has become the first player to leave the Brandywell in the aftermath of the club's second-place league finish. Despite having been highly rated by Stephen Kenny the Dubliner's inability to relocate to Derry due to various commitments in Dublin ensured that he would have to find another club.