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Mo linked with Toronto FC


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from skysports

Former Scotland striker Mo Johnston has been linked with becoming Toronto FC's first-ever head coach.

According to reports in Canada, Johnston met with the expansion Major League Soccer club's owners in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment late last week.

The news comes shortly after Johnston's sacking as manager of MLS rivals New York Red Bulls late last month following a poor start to the 2006 season in America's top flight.

The former Watford, Celtic, Rangers and Everton player has plenty of experience of MLS, having finished his playing career with Kansas City Wizards.

He succeeded Bob Bradley as manager of the Red Bulls last October, but his spell with New York proved a brief one in the end.

Toronto FC will be the first Canadian-based side in MLS when they begin play in the 2007 season and have yet to appoint a head coach or general manager.

It remains to be seen if Johnston will be handed the reins of the newly-formed franchise, as Canada prepares to become part of MLS next year.

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quote:Originally posted by Grizzly

Poor choice for Toronto. At least I can't imagine a joint Canada-Toronto appointment if that is the best they can get.

Who else then (and be reasonable...ie no "Big Phil" or Klinsmens as that level of coach is never coming to MLS)....I would think someone like a Bruce Arena might be a good choice.

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Yes Bruce Arena would be a much better choice than Mo. I don't really see the point of speculating on who they could get but I think there are many candidates who could be had for a reasonable salary with far more experience and success in club soccer than Mo Johnston.

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quote:Originally posted by Grizzly

Yes Bruce Arena would be a much better choice than Mo. I don't really see the point of speculating on who they could get but I think there are many candidates who could be had for a reasonable salary with far more experience and success in club soccer than Mo Johnston.

Speculation is what these boards are for[8D]

I, honestly, do not know who all those candidates would be...that is what i would like to know. It is easy to find unemployed "name" managers around the world....but would any of them actually come to MLS? Who/what makes up the managerial pool for MLS teams?

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quote:Originally posted by TOareaFan

Speculation is what these boards are for[8D]

I, honestly, do not know who all those candidates would be...that is what i would like to know. It is easy to find unemployed "name" managers around the world....but would any of them actually come to MLS? Who/what makes up the managerial pool for MLS teams?

Well, the top coaches of the USL would be one group...how about Pat Ercoli? He's lead Rochester to championships, and is from Toronto (I believe).

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Guest speedmonk42

I don't see MLSE cheaping out on this, unless there is a salary cap on that too. Especially if we see a double dip salary.

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quote:Originally posted by TOareaFan

Speculation is what these boards are for[8D]

That is true but we have so little information to go on (salary offer, where they are looking, strong rumours) and perspective candidates basically include any unemployed manager. The possibility of a double national team role even includes those who otherwise would be out of the price range. I think until there is a bit more information I don't want to spend much time throwing names out at random.

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NORTH OF THE BORDER MOJO

Johnston interviews for Toronto job: Sources

July 6, 2006

Deposed Red Bulls coach Mo Johnston might be coaching expansion side Toronto FC next year.

Photo by Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images

By Dylan Butler

BigAppleSoccer.com Associate Editor

New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol said on Saturday he was confident he'd see his friend and fellow countryman Mo Johnston coaching somewhere soon. That somewhere might be Major League Soccer expansion side Toronto FC.

A week after being fired by Red Bull New York, the legendary Scottish player is a candidate for for the Toronto coaching job, sources told BigAppleSoccer.com.

In fact, Toronto asked permission to speak with Johnston while he was still Red Bulls coach. Red Bull New York gave their permission and Johnston flew to Toronto after the disappointing 2-0 loss at Chicago, according to sources.

But a day later, Johnston was fired as Red Bulls coach, managing director Marc de Grandpre claiming the decision was based on the team winning just twice in their first 12 games.

"The decision was based on results and performance of the team on the field and the decision was made late last night," he said in a conference call with reporters.

The timing was certainly bizarre, considering Red Bull New York was handing the reigns to an interim coach in Richie Williams with three months MLS experience as an assistant on the eve of a stretch of four games in 11 days. But sources said Red Bull brass became upset that Johnston interviewed for the Toronto job, even though they gave the expansion club permission to do so. A day later, Johnston was fired.

Johnston declined to comment and Red Bulls officials said while they granted Toronto permission to speak with Johnston, his firing was based on the results on the field.

"As is standard protocol with any Red Bull employee, we granted permission for an outside employer (in this case Toronto FC) to speak with a current Red Bull employee (in this case Mo Johnston) after the outside employer requested the opportunity to do so," Red Bull New York said in a statement. "The decision to relieve Mo of his head coaching duties was solely based on the club's results. It had nothing to do with him speaking with Toronto."

Since Johnston left, things have gone from bad to worse for the Red Bulls. They are winless in four straight, having lost their last two on the road. They have fallen four points behind Columbus in last place in the Eastern Conference, are without star midfielder Youri Djorkaeff perhaps for good, although his agent and brother Denis Djorkaeff said the French World Cup champion will return -- in two weeks -- after visiting their sick mother in France. A source, though, told BigAppleSoccer.com that "it's over for Youri," as far as the Red Bulls are concerned.

Johnston's tenure as Red Bulls coach lasted just eight months. He initially took the job on an interim basis after Bob Bradley was fired last October and sparked a late-season rally that saw the then-MetroStars beat New England in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals before crashing out of the playoffs a week later. He was named the full-time in November.

Under a new management and without the guidance of a general manager after Alexi Lalas left to take a similar position with the Los Angeles Galaxy, Johnston coached the Red Bulls to a 2-3-7 mark before getting fired last Tuesday.

Toronto FC became the 13th MLS team, and first outside of the United States, on May 11. The team will begin play in the 2007 season and is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a privately held corporation that owns the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, the Toronto Raptors of the NBA, the Toronto Marlies Hockey Club of the American Hockey League and the Air Canada Centre.

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With any sinking ship, you need a skipper with experience in sinking ships. seasons of long searching scottish long balls...upp the ethnics will just eat that crap up.

oh boy, this is like shooting fish in a barrel.

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quote:Originally posted by G-Man

With any sinking ship, you need a skipper with experience in sinking ships. seasons of long searching scottish long balls...upp the ethnics will just eat that crap up.

oh boy, this is like shooting fish in a barrel.

You're so funny that no one else laughed.

Good for you, G-Man.

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