Toronto FC Coach For Hire

TORONTO, ON — The contract of interim head coach Chris Cummins will not be renewed for the upcoming 2010 MLS season. Effective immediately, the search begins for a new head coach.

Cummins was hired as an assistant coach on May 5, 2008, and then promoted to interim head coach on April 29, 2009. Cummins coached Toronto to 8 wins and 7 draws in 24 matches.

“We have decided to move forward without Chris for next season,” said manager, director of soccer Mo Johnston. “We want to thank Chris for his contribution to the club over the last year and a half, and wish him all the best in the future. For us, the work now begins on finding a new coach, and getting him in here before pre-season starts February 1st.”

Cummins leaves Toronto FC with a MLS coaching record of 8-9-7. His first game in charge was April 26 at home against the Kansas City Wizards, a 1-0 victory.

No other changes to the technical staff have been made.

Experienced MLS Coach Wanted
Toronto FC Manager, Director of Soccer Mo Johnston is setting his sights on attracting an experienced MLS coach to join the club for the 2010 season.

“The search for a new coach started yesterday,” said Johnston at BMO Field. “Within the league, we have to wait until the dust is settled with the Playoffs before we would ask to speak to anyone. We want someone in the position very quickly. Whoever comes in has to have MLS experience. We will look all over.”

Full Story
Mo Johnstone Press Conference

Chris Cummins Heading Home To Be With His Family
After six months as Toronto FC’s interim head coach Chris Cummins is heading home to be with his family. After the heartbreak of missing out on the Playoffs by one point following Saturday’s 5-0 loss at New York, the club is heading in a different direction and Cummins will move back to England.

Cummins has been in Toronto since May 2008 as John Carver’s assistant but found himself in charge of the team following Carver’s departure in April 2009. He was offered the chance to stay on as an assistant coach for 2010, but on Tuesday morning he told a BMO Field press conference that whatever the outcome this season, he had already decided to leave Canada for family reasons.

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Cummins Missed Wife And Family
Cummins Press Conference

Letter To Toronto FC Fans

On behalf of everyone at Toronto FC, I want to thank you for your support over the course of the season. I share your disappointment that we missed the Playoffs and I am still devastated by the manner of the performance at New York on Saturday. In all my years as a player and manager I never have seen a meltdown like this. I can tell you we are only one point away from the Playoffs but in the context of a 5-0 blowout? That doesn’t give me any comfort.

This morning I announced that Chris Cummins will be leaving the club and the search will start right away for a new head coach. I want to thank Chris for the job he has done since taking over as interim head coach at the end of April. When John Carver went it left us with a hole and I think under the circumstances Chris did a hell of a job. I think he is going to be a very good coach one day but I’ve known for a couple of weeks now that he wanted to be closer to home. We want all of the other members of our coaching staff to stay.

Despite missing the Playoffs, we have made progress on and off the field this season including winning our first trophy on that amazing night in Montreal. We head into next season with a strong core of players as we continue towards building for long term success. We already have plenty to look forward to including a full season with Julian de Guzman and a grass pitch being installed at BMO Field. My focus in the next few months will be on strengthening the squad at a few select positions, preparing for the SuperDraft and also getting the right man to lead the team.

We will look all over for a new coach. Within the league, we have to wait until the dust is settled with the Playoffs before we would ask to speak to anyone at another club. We want someone in the position very quickly and I would like whoever comes in to have MLS experience. We have the best facilities in the league, and are run by a top notch organization. I have no doubt this will be a job many coaches will covet. It is a big job and it will be someone who can deal with the attention this club receives.

If you want to see the full press conference from this morning, click here to watch Toronto FC TV.

Thanks again for your outstanding support of the club and I assure you I will do everything possible to bring success to Toronto FC in 2010.

Mo Johnston Director of Soccer, Toronto FC