ONE of the leading candidates to succeed Charles van Commenee as UK Athletics head coach is to return to Canada – ruling him out of contention for the job.

Kevin Tyler, UKA’s strategic head of coaching and development, has decided to leave his current post in order to return to his home country with his family.

Last month, UK Athletics new performance director Neil Black described Tyler as a “strong contender” to succeed Van Commenee and his departure means an external candidate now seems very likely.

Tyler, who will remain at UKA until the end of December, said: “It has been a privilege to work with UKA over these past four years in the build-up to a home Games. There has been a significant level of investment in coach development and education, and it has been great that UKA has prioritised this area.’’ UKA chief executive Niels de Vos, who had described Tyler as ‘‘a coach of coaches who makes things happen’’ when he appointed him in 2008 said the Canadian left an important legacy in the revamped UK coach education system he had helped create.

De Vos said: ‘‘I would like to thank Kevin for his valued work at UKA, and wish him and his family the very best in the future. We have been very fortunate to have had an individual of Kevin’s calibre leading this vital work and establishing such an impressive platform which will safeguard the future of athletics coaching in the UK.

“We will now start the process of finding Kevin’s successor, as we look to build towards Rio 2016 in the next four-year cycle.’’