Herdman resigns as Canada's coach to guide MLS Toronto

The 48-year-old Englishman guided Canada's men into last year's World Cup, their first appearance in 36 years, and will take charge of the struggling MLS club on October 1st after more than five years with the national squad. "I'm keen to start this new opportunity with Toronto FC," Herdman said. "Personally, it's the right time for me to step into a new challenge in my career and the structure of a club environment is a context I've aspired to operate in."

Herdman takes charge of a Toronto squad with an MLS-worst record of 3-13 with 10 drawn for a league-low 19 points. The club parted ways with former head coach Bob Bradley in June with Terry Dunfield guiding the team on an interim basis. Herdman guided the New Zealand women's national team from 2006 to 2011, coaching the Football Ferns into the 2007 and 2011 Women's World Cups.

He took over the Canadian women's squad in 2011 and guided that team to bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and a run to the quarter-finals of the 2015 Women's World Cup hosted by Canada. Herdman was named men's national team coach and became the first manager to direct men's and women's teams from the same nation into World Cup berths.

"John's contribution to the game in Canada is unmatched," Canada Soccer president Charmaine Crooks said. "We would like to thank John for his immense contribution to the game in Canada and wish him the very best in his new role at Toronto FC." Herdman will spend the month of September helping the transition with new national team interim coach Mauro Biello, an assistant with the team since 2018, as the search begins for a new full-time coach.

"I'm grateful for the incredible opportunity to have represented Canada for the past 12 years, for the moments I've been able to share with the players, the staff, and the supporters," Herdman said. "I arrived from New Zealand in 2011 with the aim of changing the game in our country... The goal was always to leave the game in a better place and I'm confident that goal has been achieved for Canada."

Herdman thanked his national men's players for hard work and sacrifices. "The level of trust and belief that we've developed and the tightness of the brotherhood that we have today is something I'll always treasure and something that I'll miss for sure," he said.

Herdman called last year's World Cup bid "only the start of the team's own journey" and added, "I'll be excited to watch as the team goes on to even greater things as individuals and as a group." Canada will serve as a co-host of the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and the United States.

 

August 28, 2023