(Toronto) John Herdman has spent more than 10 years leading Canada’s destiny on the international stage. He will now have to face what will possibly be the biggest challenge of his career: to restore his luster to Toronto FC, of Major League Soccer.
Herdman has resigned as manager of Canada’s men’s national team to accept the TFC head coaching position, replacing interim coach Terry Dunfield. He will take office on October 1.
Soccer Canada has indicated that its search for a new coach will begin immediately.
It is Mauro Biello who will take over as interim replacement for Herdman. Biello has been an assistant coach with the men’s national team since March 2018. He previously served as the head coach of the Montreal Impact from 2015 to 2017.
Herdman’s decision to leave the men’s national team comes about a year after the team secured their first qualification in 36 years for the finals of the World Cup and three years before Canada was one of the three host countries of the competition.
“Being able to interact and collaborate with staff and players on a daily basis provides new opportunities for development, both on and off the pitch,” he added
The 48-year-old Englishman inherits a club that has been in deep trouble this season and sit bottom in the Eastern Conference with a 3-13-10 record. The team has not won in its last 13 outings (0-10-3) and is a far cry from its performance in 2017, when it won the Fan Shield and the Canadian Championship.
The team has only one victory in its last 19 games (1-14-4) in all competitions. Its expensive Italian stars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi performed well below expectations and drew heavy criticism. Bernardeschi even said earlier this season that he was very unhappy with the style of play advocated by the club.
“There is work to be done and we recognize it will take some time,” Herdman said. We understand what we need to do to change things and I am committed to getting this club and the city back to where they need to be. »
The TFC hopes to find some stability with Herdman, who comes to Toronto after 12 successful years in charge of Canada. He notably became the first coach to lead the women’s and men’s teams of the same country to the World Cup.
Herdman moved to the men’s team in 2018 and was a key part in reviving the program.
Canada qualified for the World Cup for the second time in its history and the first since 1986, finishing first in the standings in the third round of CONCACAF qualifying. The team, however, was unable to sign a first victory in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.
When Herdman switched to the men’s side, Canada was ranked 95th in the world. Under his leadership, the team reached No. 33 in February 2022. They currently sit No. 43.
“I am very grateful for the many opportunities to represent Canada over the past 12 years, for the moments shared with players, staff and fans,” said Herdman.
“The goal has always been to leave the sport in a better position and I’m confident I’ve achieved that for Canada. »
