John Herdman has resigned from his role as Canada national team manager to take up Toronto FC job in the MLS.
Herdman will replace former Toronto FC manager, Bob Bradley, who was sacked in June following a poor run of results that has left Toronto FC at the bottom of MLS Eastern Conference with 19 points from 26 matches.
According to reports, John Herdman, who has been credited for bringing Canadian football to the global stage, was at odds with Canada football authorities for a poor funding that has grounded footballing activities in the country.
Herdman leaves his role as Canada’s best national team manager in decades after he led the team to their first World Cup in over three decades and also reach the final of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League.
He recorded landmark achievements with women’s national team in Canada as well and has taken charge of all football-related activities from under-14 upward.
The Cosset-born gaffer is ready for a new challenge in the MLS after a heroic spell in national team football in Canada.
“I’m keen to start this new opportunity with Toronto FC. It’s the right time for a new challenge,” he said.
Meanwhile, Toronto FC have confirmed his appointment as the club’s new manager with his appointment to take effect from 1 October 2023.
“Toronto FC announced today that it has named Canada Men’s National Team Head Coach John Herdman as the club’s Head Coach. Herdman, 48, will support Canada Soccer with the transition of his current role and assume coaching responsibilities with the club as of October 1,” Toronto FC club statement reads.
John Herdman
John Herdman, 48, is an English professional football manager and former player, who was in-charge of Canada men’s national team before calling it quit for MLS job with Toronto FC.
Herdman is relatively off the spotlight compared to other high-profile English managers but his records off the shores of English football is terrific. The English-born former footballer started his football career at a New Zealand amateur side, Hibiscus Coast, before venturing into football coaching.
Before he took up a first team role as manager, Herdman started out with Sunderland’s youth academy as a development coach in the 90s before he left England for New Zealand.
At New Zealand, he was appointed as New Zealand women’s national team manager in 2006 after he worked as coaching education manager with the country’s national football association education programme.
Herdman recorded some successes as a first team manager with New Zealand women’s national team. He qualified the team for FIFA Women’s World Cup on two consecutive occasions in 2007 and 2011, including 2008 Beijing Olympics.
After a successful spell with New Zealand women’s national team, Herdman became Canada women’s national team manager in 2011.
He won gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games with the team and also qualified for 2012 London Olympics.
He also qualified the team for 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and cruised to the quarterfinals of the tournament where they lost to England.
After a largely successful spell with Canada women’s national team, John Herdman was appointed head coach of Canada men’s national team in 2018. He was asked to take charge of all levels of football in the country from U-14 level.
His most remarkable trail with Canada men’s national team was improving their FIFA ranking from 71st in the world to 40th, marking the highest level of transformation of a national team on the FIFA ladder.
Also, for the first time in 36 years, John Herdman led Canada men’s national team to their first World Cup in decades, qualifying for 2022 World Cup.
Canada crashed out of the group stages of the World Cup, losing their three group games against Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco.
Despite the World Cup setback, John Herdman bounced back and reached the final of 2023 CONCACAF Nations League where they lost to USA.
He resigned from his role, criticizing Canada football authorities for inadequate football funding.
