Bxl Boy Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 CSA release Association hires Tony Fonseca as men's national staff coach The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that it has appointed Tony Fonseca to the men’s national staff coaching position. Mr. Fonseca's coaching responsibilities in the technical and national-team area will include the men's national youth teams up to the U-20 level, the national-training centres, scouting duties and the Association's coaching development courses. "We are very pleased that Mr. Fonseca has accepted the position to join our team,” said Canadian Soccer Association technical director Stephen Hart. “Having had the opportunity to work with Tony on the Canadian senior team, I am well aware of his qualities, both on and off the field. I am confident that Tony will be influential within the Association's coaching and player-development structure as we progress." Mr. Fonseca most recently served as an advance scout with the national team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifiers. He was previously an assistant coach with the national team, helping Canada reach the semi-final stage of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. In 2008 as an assistant coach with the U-23 team, he helped Canada finish third at the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournament. "I am very honoured to be part of Canadian Soccer Association’s staff coaching under the guidance of Stephen Hart,” said Mr. Fonseca. Mr. Fonseca’s previous coaching experience includes eight years with the Vancouver Whitecaps, serving as an assistant coach (when the team was known as the 86ers), head coach, and technical director. As the Whitecaps’ technical director, he was responsible for the training and development of players in the clubs, academy and youth teams. As a player, Mr. Fonseca is a former Portugese international, having made seven appearances for the national team plus 33 for the youth team. At the professional level, he played for more than 15 seasons in Portugal, most notably four seasons with S.L. Benfica and seven seasons with C.F. Estrela da Amadora. He then completed his professional career at the turn of the century with the Vancouver 86ers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Just got this too...assuming this means he's the U20 head coach? 'Caps fans, how was he as a coach for your team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 ^ yes...Tony will be the U20 coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPE Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 All those who continually have "knee jerk" commments wrt to CSA (not saying there is a basis for them) might like to weigh in what seems like a positive move.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 ^ it is impossible to judge this decision at this time. Fonseca will be judged by how his U20 team performs and how he performs his other CSA functions. Myself, I'd prefer the CSA hires coaches with more professional head coaching experience but in this country, Fonseca's CV is probably as good as its going to get right now so its a safe choice. I know that there were 4 or 5 candidates for this job, including Fonseca. Apparently, Fonseca was considered the clear favorite for the job so its not overly surprising he got it. I was rooting for two of the other candidates to get the job but Tony got tapped and I wish him the best of luck. I hope Tony is given the resources he will need to do the job. He will certainly be under the microscope. I know very little about Tony but I hope he is wise enough to build himself the best staff of assistants he possibly can (and not just guys he's comfortable with from the BC soccer system). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPE Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 VPjr - my comment wasn't directed at you as you seem knowlegable and have a balanced view. However, sometimes there seems to be a tendency on the forum to jump all over the CSA when they do something negative (and maybe rightfully so) but not awknowledge what seems like a postive step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 quote:Originally posted by NPE VPjr - my comment wasn't directed at you as you seem knowlegable and have a balanced view. However, sometimes there seems to be a tendency on the forum to jump all over the CSA when they do something negative (and maybe rightfully so) but not awknowledge what seems like a postive step. I did not perceive your comments as being directed at me, even though I'm first to admit that I sometimes make knee-jerk comments when it comes to CSA decisions. All I was trying to say is that its probably best, in general, for all of us to take a wait and see approach to the Fonseca hiring. It is really hard to say how if this is a good choice or not. Tony doesn't have a bullet proof CV, but then again, what Canadian coach does? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 If Fonseca does well with the U-20's could he be a future MNT coach candidate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I think Fonseca is a good candidate for the job, because he seams to have some experience and played in a completely different environment outside of England, so that's a positive in my book. VPjr, you said that were four or five candidates for the job, do you know who they were? and which were the ones you were rooting for? if you can tell us of course Was Nick Dasovic in the race at all? I was hopping he was going to get the job, but life and the CSA are not fair........ oh well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Let Dasovic learning experience with a great/awesome/terrific/Mourinhoesque coach like John Carver continue. Fonseca seems to have some decent experience and with the budget we have for that team you can't really hire abroad for that job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettermirror Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Um, I don't think he was hired as the u20 coach but as a staff coach. http://www.bcsoccerweb.com/articles-october/csa-oct-24-fonseca.htm "Mr. Fonseca's coaching responsibilities in the technical and national-team area will include the men's national youth teams up to the U-20 level, the national-training centres, scouting duties and the Association's coaching development courses." It doesn't say in here that he has been hired to lead the team through u20 qualification and the u20 World Cup. Hart goes on to say "I am confident that Tony will be influential within the Association's coaching and player-development structure as we progress." I am not sure if this means u20 coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 If he is coaching the U-20's in what could be their only competitive tournament of the cycle (I hope not) I would call that the current U-20 coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 quote:Originally posted by bettermirror Um, I don't think he was hired as the u20 coach but as a staff coach. http://www.bcsoccerweb.com/articles-october/csa-oct-24-fonseca.htm "Mr. Fonseca's coaching responsibilities in the technical and national-team area will include the men's national youth teams up to the U-20 level, the national-training centres, scouting duties and the Association's coaching development courses." It doesn't say in here that he has been hired to lead the team through u20 qualification and the u20 World Cup. Hart goes on to say "I am confident that Tony will be influential within the Association's coaching and player-development structure as we progress." I am not sure if this means u20 coach. trust me...he's the U20 coach. They were hiring a staff coach that would also get the U20 job, just like Hart was a staff coach who had the U17 job and like Fleming is a staff coach who appears in line to get the current U17 job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 ^ Not exactly thinking outside the box on the youth coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 The real problem I see with the hire -which is not a comment on Tony's abilities- is that it's one more body on the payroll in an already tight coaching budget. This which subtracts from the potential leverage to hire a decent international manager. Being able to bring in a trusted assistant is often a deal breaker; and, logically, the MNT assistant should coach the U20s. However, now we've lost a negotiation chip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I don't expect our MNT to have a new coach until 2009 (when the U-20's will be finished in Egypt and his job might end in February 2009 if we don't qualify). If we are going to have a new coach, it will be interim and likely be Hart or someone already on the payroll. So, I doubt it will come into play in the hiring of a decent manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettermirror Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 The reason I wonder if he has been hired as the u20 coach is because it says his duties up to u20 (which I assume includes u20), but by this logic then he is also the u17 coach for their qualifying. Is this a fair assumption? I guess I am arguing logistics, but just because someone has been hired as a coach does not make them head coach. Maybe I am being thick because it's Friday!!! Not totally impossible I am looking forward to extracurricular activities! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 It could mean he'll have a smaller role with the U17's aswell? Or because of his NTC scouting they include that as working with the younger age groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 CSA, the number one recycling company in Canada. Excellent for soccer environment........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 quote:Originally posted by bettermirror The reason I wonder if he has been hired as the u20 coach is because it says his duties up to u20 (which I assume includes u20), but by this logic then he is also the u17 coach for their qualifying. Is this a fair assumption? I guess I am arguing logistics, but just because someone has been hired as a coach does not make them head coach. Maybe I am being thick because it's Friday!!! Not totally impossible I am looking forward to extracurricular activities! Fonseca has been hired for the role of CSA Staff Coach and he also has been given the responsibility of coaching the Men's U20 team in WCQ (and beyond). The wording of the media release might be a tad unclear but I assure you this is the case. As I understand it, Fonseca is being hired to fill the void left by Stephen Hart when he became full time TD. SH likely doesn't have the time to perform Staff Coaching duties anymore. It would be logical to assume that SH would have graduated to the U20 coaching job if he had not been promoted to TD. However, as TD, he has a ton on his plate the next few months. Even if he wanted the U20 job, it would be irresponsible of him to take that role because he would not have the time to fulfill his TD duties (which includes jetting across the country trying to sell the Wellness to WC plan and so that provinces vote in favor of the new $5.00 tax increase on registrations). For whatever reason (likely budgetary), the CSA combined the Staff Coach and U20 coach into 1 position. The only question I have is "which role was deemed as being the more important role"? Did the CSA want the best possible Staff Coach who is also a safe choice to lead the U20 team or did they want the best possible U20 coach and hope that he would be suitable for the Staff Coach position as well? As fans, we want a coach who is most likely to lead the team to wins in international competition. The CSA might have organizational priorities that differ somewhat from the priorities of the supporters. That's not to say that the CSA don't want to win because of course they do want to qualify and do well at the next U20 WC. However, maybe finding someone who is perfect for the Staff Coach job is more important to the CSA than finding someone who is the absolute best candidate for organizing a diverse group of players into a winning team in a short period of time with limited resources. The two roles are very different and don't necessarily require identical skill sets. Who's to know what the CSA deemed as more important? I don't and clearly the CSA isn't likely to share their hiring criteria with us. Of course, Fonseca might have scored highest for both roles and if that is the case, then good for the CSA and good for Tony. Regardless, what's done is done and I look forward to seeing what he does with the team. It looks like we have some decent talent at our disposal. Now I want to hear details of camps and what players are being invited and who will comprise his staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue and White Army Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 We need to insist on the terms "manager" and "coach", rather than using "coach" for both roles. Not being able to differentiate between the two roles (as they both become "coach") is why it's so bloody confusing. North American sports media are happy to use the term "manager" in baseball, so why not in soccer also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 What I don't understand is, if they continue to rotate the coaches that have been working for the CSA in the last 10 to 20 years, how are we ever going to improve our playing style if the coaches are always the same ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianTraveller Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 quote:Originally posted by VPjr Did the CSA want the best possible Staff Coach who is also a safe choice to lead the U20 team or did they want the best possible U20 coach and hope that he would be suitable for the Staff Coach position as well? Nice post. My initial concern was with hiring a long-term coaching position with the restructuring of the national teams likely to occur in 2009. If this were a concern for the CSA, they would likely structure the position as "Staff Coach - x years" with an interim posting of "U-20 coach, WCQ 2009". Agreed? Any idea what length of contract was being proposed? And curious to me that they needed to hire for a staff coach just prior to a restructuring of the entire program. But if they needed someone, if one or more of their candidates were likely to become unavailable soon, if someone thought Hart had to coach the U-20's while handling about 3 people's roles in this restructuring, those are all perfectly good reasons to be hiring. As for the person hired...Tony seems to be what critics here want. A relative outsider, schooled in international football (doesn't get much more international in style and experience than Portugal?) with playing experience at the highest level. I don't know what Whitecaps fans think of his time there, but his CV highlights seem to hit a number of checkboxes for critics on this board? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Why do we need a Technical Director to go around the country selling this $5 registration increase? Isn't that more of a job for the President to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 quote:Originally posted by The Ref Why do we need a Technical Director to go around the country selling this $5 registration increase? Isn't that more of a job for the President to do. You would think that the President would be the lead person for such a campaign but if you've ever listened to Mr. Maestracci speak in English, you would know that it would be detrimental to the cause. Furthermore, Stephen Hart is pretty well respected in soccer circles across the country, both among administrators and technical people, so I think his words carry more weight than the average CSA BoD politico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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