TRURO, Westmoreland — Patrick Graham has cited "lack of support" from some members of the coaching staff and club executives as his reason for stepping down as head coach of struggling Red Stripe Premier League club Savannah SC earlier this week.

Graham told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that he took the decision following a meeting on Wednesday evening. "This was my decision and I was not pushed by the club... when you are in an organisation and not getting their full support, it can be difficult," he said.

Graham is the third coach to step down since the start of the season, joining Nedier dos Santos of Montego Bay United and Calvin Lewis of Highgate United — all struggling clubs.

The former Reno FC and Arnett Gardens midfielder, who also represented the national team, hastened to say that he had the full support of the players and some of the club executives but said they were not "seeing eye to eye" with others.

The club announced late on Thursday that Graham had stepped down and Wendell Dawson, a member of the Savannah SC executive, said Graham had handed in his resignation "and the board of the club has accepted it".

Dawson also said journeyman coach Delroy Delisser, who was one of Graham's assistant, will take over the reins as the interim coach for the promoted Westmoreland outfit when the second round starts following the break for the first end-of-round final.

Graham, who is a graduate of the GC Foster Sports College and who is employed as a teacher and head coach at Godfrey Stewart High School in Savanah-la-Mar, told the Observer he would be concentrating on the school's Under-16 team and had not decided where he would be coaching next in club football.

Savannah SC, who were promoted along with Cavalier at the end of last season, are in 11th place in the 12-team league on 11 points, having earned just two points from their last eight outings after starting the season with three straight wins.