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Toronto FC set to hire Mariner and Winter

Paul Mariner (ISIPhotos.com)

After spending most of the off-season without a head coach and permanent technical director, Toronto FC appears ready to finally fill the two vital positions.

According to multiple MLS sources, Toronto is set to name former New England Revolution assistant Paul Mariner as Technical Director and former Dutch national team player Aron Winter as head coach.

There are conflicting reports coming out of Europe that are identifying Mariner as the team's next head coach and Winter as TFC technical director, but sources tell SBI Winter will be the head coach while Mariner oversees personnel management.

Mariner was highly-regarded for his talent scouting ability while New England assistant, and was seen in some circles as one of the best evaluators of college talent in MLS.

What do you think of these developments? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Tom Anselmi and Co. know absolutely nothing about football… which is the main reason the team has been totally incompetent mess. So yes, they needed Klinsmann, unfortunately.

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  2. as Grant Wahl aptly pointed out on Twitter, Dutch coaches seem to be a crapshoot in MLS. Wonder if, should things go awry, Paul Mariner would pull a Pat Riley move and step down from the office and onto the sidelines as head coach?

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  3. Suriname is an island in the Caribbean somewhere, not sure it’s IN South America maybe near the coast but it’s part of CONCACAF so it has to be in the Caribbean rim somewhere?

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  4. This move cant be too surprising.

    Jurgen played with Winter at Inter so they know each other.

    From a PR standpoint, this makes sense. There continues be tremendous drooling over the Ajax mystique so anyone from that system has to be good, right? Even though they have been a very average side in the Eredivisie for a very long time and they seem to recycle coaches at the same rate as, well, TFC does.

    I have no idea if Mariner is good or not. Hard to say if he or Nicol was the many with the eye for talent at Revs.

    Regardless, they’ve decided to go in this direction, which is fine. Hopefully Winter can adapt to the reality of a 30 man roster that is paid the same amount of money as what 1 or 2 players might make at Ajax. That is my biggest concern with Euro coaches who have been involved with Big clubs. Building a good side is much easier when you have significant cash to splash around.

    I really cant see “sexy” football being played at TFC anytime soon. MLS squads are rarely blessed with the kind of players who can play truly sexy football.

    The thing I am most curious about is to see how Winter seeks to revamp the TFC Academy. As it is right now, you can’t call it true professional development when you start working with a player at 15 or 16. Clubs need to start working with these boys earlier than that, before they establish bad habits.

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  5. It seems similar to what NYRB did. Bring in a coach that probably is good at tactics and make up for his lack of MLS knowledge (like drafts and scouting college) by bringing in a knowledgeable support staff. Backe has proven that a foreign coach can work if he accepts that MLS is different and relies in his support staff for help. If Winter does that he may be ok; if he doesn’t he will probably be as good as the last Dutch head coach in MLS.

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  6. I dont think we are seeing ALL of what Klinnsman is doing, he wasnt just brought in to find a coach/gm etc but to help overhaul the system that Mo had previously put into place. its unfair and uninformed to suggest that this is all that klinnsman has done and that you could have made these hires.

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  7. Can’t say I disagree with you. Klinsmann may have been a total PR move, but I’m also wondering (doubting) whether Toronto FO would of figured out a solid move like this on their own.

    Either way, if decision came from Klinsmann or current FO, I think its a great move. Now hopefully they can build somewhat of a roster before season starts.

    From what I’ve read of Winter, there will be no place for an individual mercenary like MeRo to be on his team.

    De Guzman constantly says he wants more focus on tactics, well, he’ll get it with Winter. Maybe if De Guzman has a more specific, well defined roll, he’ll excel. Or at least, not suck. He won’t have that excuse at least.

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  8. RSL hired a coach with no coaching experience, but he also 10-years of MLS experience including a couple years at RSL. It eventually panned out after 3 years, but I have to say that hiring someone with no coaching or MLS experience is a bizarre moonshot for TFC.

    I can’t say that I’m optimistic on this one.

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  9. TFC’s problem has been they always looked for the quick miracle fix and did no real team building. If they actually have a three year rebuilding plan, then they are actually doing something right for a change.

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  10. Actually a very good move for TFC and Mariner/Winter. I don’t think they needed Klinis to make this move, but a good one all the same.

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  11. Well, it seems if they do have an eye for talent, and an ability to develop it, those are the biggest things in MLS. Talent acquisition is a giant hurdle for MLS teams and if you can identify it in the draft or out of your academy it is huge.

    I actually think DC United will be a lot better with Hamid, Najar, White, and whoever they draft next year.

    Also, the Toronto area seems to have a lot of atheletes. I wouldn’t be surprised if they can start collecting talent the way other big cities in MLS is starting to do.

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  12. I understand what you are saying and agree with you. To have the long term plan that they have now is something TFC could have done with out hiring Lord Klinsmann. What they are doing is something they did not need Klinsmann for. Why did they hire Lord K?

    I will tell you why- it was just all PR to avoid a fan revolt with season tickets. That is the only reason Lord K was hired. It was a PR move and that is all it was. A friggen PR move!!

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  13. He does not have any first team Head Coaching record at all. Nada, zip, zilch, Nunca!!

    But…He was born in Suriname (South America) to a Muslim father and Jewish mother.

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  14. Winter is an unknown. 3 years at Ajax working with Jong Ajax (English : Young Ajax) and no track record as a first team manager. I could have hired 1000 guys with the same CV/ Resume.

    Winter contract is for three years. This is going a long haul to get to where TFC wants to get to : this is not a quick fix.

    When you hire Lord Klinsmann- you deserve at least a impact the first year. This wont happen for at least 2 years. The fan base is going to have to endure a fifth year of no playoffs. TFC did not need to hire Lord K for these two guys. Why did they hire Lord K? Someone please explain.

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  15. This would be great news. Mariner has great experience within the MLS. Winter coming in with experience from the Ajax school would be an asset to the first team as well as our developing academy.

    Until now, TFC has been a haphazard experiment of popcorn decisions and trades and a revolving door of coaches selected by default.

    This is one of the first moves that actually appears thought out and could have a real philosophy behind the decision with ground work for really putting something together in Toronto.

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  16. They hired Lord Klinsmann for these two people? I could of made these hires- TFC got rip off by Lord K. Change TFC ownership or nothing will change on the pitch. TFC wont make the playoffs this year- even with an added 2 teams. Just sad for the TFC Fan base. I feel for you guys.

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