Toronto FC’s head coaching search continues, with conflicting reports emerging around former New York City FC manager Patrick Vieira being a frontrunner for the role.
While the Frenchman has been floated as a possibility after being fired as OGC Nice manager, TSN soccer analyst Kristian Jack poured could water on reports suggesting Vieira will make an MLS return with the Reds. According to Jack, Toronto have arrived at a shortlist without Vieira's name and are soon preparing to make an offer.
Jack's reporting would come in opposition to updates from Kevin Laramee and Duane Rollins, which further ignited rumors of Vieira heading to the BMO Field touchline.
Toronto have been looking for a new head coach since Greg Vanney departed the club in early December, only to be take the same position at the LA Galaxy. One of MLS’s most successful clubs in recent years, they won MLS Cup in 2017 and lost in the 2018 Concacaf Champions League final. This past season, Toronto FC earned the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and Alejandro Pozuelo was named the 2020 Landon Donovan MLS MVP.
Last week, MLSsoccer.com's Dylan Butler and Tom Bogert reported that former New York Red Bulls boss Chris Armas has interviewed for the opening in Toronto. There are also reports of former US men’s national team defender Steve Cherundolo being in consideration, with Cherundolo carrying assistant roles at VfB Stuttgart, Hannover 96 and Germany’s U-15 national team on his résumé.
Whatever comes of Toronto’s opening, the job is clearly a coveted one given their roster and winning tradition as of late. And while the dots connecting Vieira to an MLS return seem logical, he very well might not join the Reds.
