who should fill TFC's vacant coach and GM positions?

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

In this blog entry I argue that TFC should look to Puerto Rico to get the team management vacancies sorted out:

http://canadiansocceropinion.blogspot.com/2010/11/now-mls-season-is-finally-over-where.html

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Based on a Gerry Dobson interview of Jurgen Klinsmann it looks like there should be a new coach by Christmas:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2010/12/07/dobson_klinsmann_vision/

To me, it was unclear that day just what Juergen Klinsmann was ready to do, what he knew about MLS and what he knew about Toronto FC. But on this morning, he was well equipped to talk about specific players and coaches around the league, salary cap issues and all those crazy roster restrictions that still leave me scratching my head. Or maybe he's just a quick learner. Actually, he is just that since he speaks Italian, French and Spanish as well as English and German. At any rate, here's what we learned that you might want to know: The new coach is coming soon. His guess is it will happen before Christmas. It better.

Sounds like good news for Earl Cochrane and Jim Brennan but bad news for Nick Dasovic because that points to a British style manager working with the existing TFC front office rather than a new North American sports style GM coming in and then making the head coach appointment. Other possibility is that Juergen Klinsmann is planning on turning the consultancy role into a full-time gig but that seems unlikely.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Latest from Paul Beirne on twitter seems to point to a "manager":

http://twitter.com/Paulbeirne/status/14433268124356610

Interesting manager candidates being considered. Good times ahead for TFC.

Sounds like the next head coach is going to somebody with plenty of name recognition.

[TheKottonmouthed1555362307]

is Martin Jol a possibilty?

Just resigned at Ajax on the 6th.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Actually saw a post on the RPB board claiming that was going to happen a week or two back but it wasn't from one of the usual suspects in terms of inside info. The only way is down in Holland after the Ajax job so maybe he'll simply chase the money now but would have thought he would still be able to get top jobs in other European countries and would be young enough to want another crack at competitions like the Champions League so seems like a long shot to me.

[killgod]

Getting awfully close to Xmas!

Lets get this out of the way so we can focus on the kind of players we can add to the roster.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Latest quotes from Earl Cochrane are revealing:

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/12/reds-pass-re-entry

“We are also in a transition process,” Cochrane continued, “where we can’t saddle the incoming coach or manager with key pieces that may not fit his vision. We have to be cautious with those types of signings.”

“There are four or five key roster pieces we are looking to fill and a plan is in process. We have done everything short of signing these players as we want to be in a position to fill these spots once the manager is hired.”

Safe to conclude that Dasovic will definitely not be head coach in 2011 and that a new guy will be announced reasonably soon and also that Cochrane will probably be hanging around but will be carrying out what "the manager" tells him to do rather than making any of the key personnel decisions.

[TheKottonmouthed1555362307]

So is that implying that the spot will be filled by one person?

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

It implies the responsibilities of the coach will be similar to those of Bruce Arena or Sigi Schmid and that there won't be the conventional North American GM and head coach approach that was in place over the past three seasons. The pecking order is Anselmi - new guy - Cochrane/Brennan rather than Anselmi - Johnston - Preki/Cummins/Carver. Personally think that could lead to an improvement in structural terms but there still needs to be someone doing the Juergen Klinsmann thing on a full-time basis in place of Anselmi. An ongoing consultancy role on his part might be beneficial but it would be better to have a soccer savvy individual on site regularly and fully in the loop where all the behind the scenes shenanigans are concerned. Unfortunately there are very few candidates in Canadian soccer, who are in any way suitable for the role of club president at the corporate sort of level similar to what Bob Lenarduzzi is doing for the Whitecaps.

[TheKottonmouthed1555362307]

It implies the responsibilities of the coach will be similar to those of Bruce Arena or Sigi Schmid and that there won't be the conventional North American GM and head coach approach that was in place over the past three seasons. The pecking order is Anselmi - new guy - Cochrane/Brennan rather than Anselmi - Johnston - Preki/Cummins/Carver. Personally think that could lead to an improvement in structural terms but there still needs to be someone doing the Juergen Klinsmann thing on a full-time basis in place of Anselmi. An ongoing consultancy role on his part might be beneficial but it would be better to have a soccer savvy individual on site regularly and fully in the loop where all the behind the scenes shenanigans are concerned. Unfortunately there are very few candidates in Canadian soccer, who are in any way suitable for the role of club president at the corporate sort of level similar to what Bob Lenarduzzi is doing for the Whitecaps.

thanks, sounds like a good step forward for TFC.