With defence coach Glenn Delaney moving on at the end of this season, there is a spot up for grabs.
Former Highlanders coach Tony Brown is believed to be on the radar for the franchise.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger said from South Africa yesterday no decisions would be made on the coaching structure and how it would look next year until the season was finished.
He said the entire franchise was focused on this season and was committed to putting all its energy into that.
Mauger paid tribute to Delaney who he said was a top coach and had worked hard for the franchise.
But with his family back in the United Kingdom and his two-year contract with the Highlanders coming to an end, Delaney had little option but to return to the United Kingdom.
Mauger said they could not offer any certainty to Delaney and fully respected his decision to return to the UK.
Delaney was born in South Canterbury and schooled in Timaru and Christchurch. He played in Japan and Europe and has coached for a lengthy period in England. He returned to New Zealand to coach Canterbury in 2017 before moving south for a two-year stint with the Highlanders.
His wife and four children remained in the UK and Delaney is returning to be with them.
Brown has been tipped to return to the Highlanders and still has family living in Dunedin.
He is the assistant coach of Japan and also the Sunwolves coach.
He is also listed as a coaching adviser with the Panasonic team in the Japan Top league.