Aron Winter to TFC

[TFC The Hague]

Good morning from the Netherlands! It's all over the soccer news, this morning, so it's official: Aron Winter will be TFC's TD and Manager. He'll bring Bob de Klerk (former Ajax Academy assistant) along, while Paul Mariner steps in as first team coach/assistant coach.

Winter krijgt een dubbelfunctie bij Toronto FC
FC Toronto heeft Aron Winter gekozen als nieuwe technisch directeur. De oud-international krijgt daarnaast het eerste elftal van de Canadese club onder hoede. Toronto FC was op zoek naar iemand die zowel het technisch beleid als de hoofdmacht voor zijn rekening wilde nemen. Bekendheid met de Ajax-cultuur en speelstijl was een belangrijk onderdeel van de sollicitatie. 'Dan zijn ze bij mij aan het goede adres', zei Winter in De Telegraaf. De 43-jarige oud-international rekende af met de concurrentie van voormalige Engelse spits Paul Mariner en tekent een dezer dagen voor drie jaar bij Toronto FC. 'Ik ben vorige week twee dagen bij de club langs geweest en hield daar direct een goed gevoel aan over', zei Winter. 'Zij ook want ik was nog niet terug of ik werd al teruggebeld. Van de drie kandidaten maakte ik de beste indruk. Rond de jaarwisseling is alles rondgekomen.' Winter staat bij de club uit de Major League Soccer voor het eerst op eigen benen als hoofdcoach. Bob de Klerk, die bij Ajax de A1 onder zijn hoede had, gaat mee als rechterhand.
(Source: Voetbal International, VI.nl)

GOOGLE TRANSLATION:

Winter gets a double feature at Toronto FC

Aron Winter Toronto FC has chosen as the new technical director. The former national team player will also have the first team under his wing. Toronto FC was looking for someone who is both the technical strategy as the main force on his behalf wanted. Familiarity with the Ajax playing style and culture was an important part of the application. "They've come to the right place, " said Winter in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. The 43-year-old charged with international competition from former England striker Paul Mariner and was chosen a few days ago. He will sign a 3-year contract with TFC. "I was at the club last week for two days and immediately had a good feeling", said Winter. "The feeling was mutual since they called back before was back in Amsterdam. Of the three candidates, I was chosen and just around New Year's everything was worked out."Bob de Klerk, Winter's assistant at the Ajax Academy, will be his right hand man.

[CretanBull]

If we end up playing anything like and/or developing players like Ajax this will be a great move!

[Keystone FC]

The Bootiful game is coming to TFC.

Here's his wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aron_Winter

'He was born to a Muslim father and a Jewish mother.'
So he should be able to handle ANY type of infighting.

It also looks like he has been in just about every soccer situation you can think of as a player. With that type of knowledge he should be able to prep the boys throughly.

[Nestease]

Nothing in English yet, but here are all the reports from abroad:


http://www.vi.nl/Nieuws-item/192768/...Toronto-FC.htm

http://www.soccernews.nl/news/110245...isch_directeur

http://www.fcupdate.nl/voetbalnieuws...an-toronto-fc/

http://www.goal.com/nl/news/1068/noo...bij-fc-toronto

http://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/site/ni...C_Toronto.html

http://www.elfvoetbal.nl/nieuws/1188...eur-en-trainer

http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/vo...tml?sn=voetbal

http://www.nu.nl/sport/2414167/winte...in-canada.html

http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/4164/...van-Ajax.dhtml

http://www.sportdome.nl/Nieuws/24882...oronto-FC.html

http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/sport/...FC-trainen.ece

http://www.ajaxshowtime.com/voetbaln...jax-wijze.html


Key quotes and points:

- Toronto FC have chosen Aron Winter as a new technical director and head coach.

- "Of the three candidates, I made the best impression"

- Paul Mariner was one of the other candidates.

- Three year deal

- He was at the club last week for 2 days.

- Bob de Klerk is joining him as his assistant.

- He's flying into Toronto again today (Monday).

[manic.street.preacher]

beat me to it! ... this is fantastic news, a little culture injection from Ajax can do nothing but good

[razor787]

Wonder what it is that Mariner is doing. I dont know much about him. How is he? Think he was a great choice, or is Mariner a better pick?

[TFC The Hague]

As a Dutchy I'd say he's a very smart pick. Very intelligent, hard working, smart and soccer savvy. As a player very versatile (useful anywhere in midfield and occasional at right back), always hard working and serving his team. Not very outspoken, but a silent leader. Was cap record holder (84 caps) with the Dutch MNT for some time.

As head coach he's unproven, but he's an Ajax man -and as said- very smart. He might even be a better TD then a coach, but with Cochrane, De Klerk and Daso he'll have enough good guys around him to show him the ropes of MLS-'wules and wegulations'. I guess most of on-field training will be done bij Daso and De Klerk, with Winter moving into a Wenger-like Managers role.

If he's smart btw, he'll take Bas Ent with him from de Dutch Lions. He's good friends with Sonny Silooy (Lion's coach), so there will be some phone calls about Ent's qualities, I guess.

[razor787]

So basically we have no idea how he is going to perform? Having our assistant coach teaching the new head coach the rules sounds silly to me. What about De Klerk. Much known about him?

[TFC The Hague]

Well, MLS is a strange place of rules, compared to Europe. So he'll need some teaching, but Cochrane will handle that.
As said, he's unproven as a head coach at the highest level, but very experienced in the Ajax system already (bot as assistand and as an Academy Coach).
De Klerk is the unknown figure, but an Ajax man as well (experienced youth coach, his trustee at the Ajax Academy).

Bottom line is: Winter knows the drill. He played Serie A soccer (in a midfield setup with Paul Gascoigne amongst others) for years, so soccer holds no secrets for him. In Holland he's regarded as a very smart, likable and savvy guy. He's the exact opposite of Ruud Gullit, who turned out to be a bad manager and his own stumble block.

[denime]

Thanks For The News !

[Luanda]

R E A L G O O D!

[Shakes McQueen]

I love this pick!

He comes from a club with a good history of developing talent and on-pitch success, and a position where he would be spending lots of time in a development role, but also a tactical one.

So does this mean Cochrane is staying on to balance the books (so to speak), while Winter does the rest? I'd be okay with that arrangement.

Really happy with this choice. They didn't kowtow to the dummies who just wanted TFC to hire a name they would immediately recognize for massive money (the dumb, bombastic choice), and they didn't go for another MLS retread (the lame, cheap choice).

He was a good player, who has also put in the time proving himself in a managerial role. Adjusting to the litany of MLS rules will be a challenge for him (as it is for all Euros I'm sure), but an MLS veteran like Cochrane would probably help him navigate those waters.

- Scott

[ensco]

Whoa. Whoa.

OK stream of consciousness reaction...

I LOVE the focus on youth and developing young players that this hire implies. This is a trained teacher, a guy that can build an academy and offer kids something unique.

I like his youth (that is a bit of a problem with Mariner).

I don't like his unfamiliarity with MLS or NCAA.

Winter did not pick Cochrane and Daso, they were put to him. Sigh. I especially don't like the implied massive reliance on Cochrane that goes along with this.

What are the odds Winter doesn't get bummed out quickly?

Klinsmann may have had a role in finding this guy and/or landing him.

[CretanBull]

So basically we have no idea how he is going to perform? Having our assistant coach teaching the new head coach the rules sounds silly to me. What about De Klerk. Much known about him?

Holland in general and the Ajax system in particular produces some of the most technically sound players in the world. It might take awhile, but he'll have us playing a team game, he'll reintroduce our players to the basics (which is often what NCAA players lack the most), our positional play will improve, our off the ball movement will improve, our footy iq and fundamentals will improve.

A guess on my part, but I think he'll play a 4-4-2 with two holding midfielders in the middle, one more defensive and the other a deep lying playmaker...he'll get the most out of jdg.

[scut farkus]

According to Kristian Jack on Twitter:

Kristian Jack
Winter who has been an assistant at Ajax for 5 years will take the reigns as head coach, working alongside Paul Mariner. #tfc

Winter AND Mariner?!

[razor787]

With the lack of freaking out, I'm going to change my position. Sounds like the right call was made for once. Especially if we got both Winter and Mariner. Will be interisting to see how we do next year. Can't wait to see the new TFC style

[Brooker]

According to Kristian Jack on Twitter:

Kristian Jack
Winter who has been an assistant at Ajax for 5 years will take the reigns as head coach, working alongside Paul Mariner. #tfc

Winter AND Mariner?!

[[NBF]]

Beat That!

[Kaz]

Does that mean Mariner is being brought in as GM?

That is going to be an interesting arrangement...

Will look forward to hearing the press announcement.

[razor787]

I read somewhere a day or so ago that mariner was being brought in as the assistant coach. Many assumed that meant nichol was coming. Looks as if he is assistant, but not with Nichol.

[scooter]

finally some good news

[Pookie]

Re: Mariner

Former Ipswich Town star Mariner to take Toronto FC job

Ex-Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town striker Paul Mariner is expected to take the Toronto FC coaching job.

The independent Ipswich Town website, twtd.co.uk, suggests that Mariner has left his coaching job with League One club Plymouth to take the role at Toronto.

The Canadian club parted ways with Preki Radosavljevic in September, brining in Nick Dasovic as caretaker for the remainder of the 2010 season.

And now it seems that Mariner, who has extensive experience with US soccer, will be the man to step into the role ahead of their 2011 campaign.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articl...fc-job-1359481

[Globetrotter]

Just because someone knows soccer, doesn't mean they know MLS. We're a little bit different over here.

[Shakes McQueen]

According to Kristian Jack on Twitter:

Kristian Jack
Winter who has been an assistant at Ajax for 5 years will take the reigns as head coach, working alongside Paul Mariner. #tfc

Winter AND Mariner?!

Wow, even better!

- Scott

[ensco]

We need a list of everyone who is out of contract (or available) who played at Ajax or Plymouth in the last couple of years.

[torontocelt]

I have to admit I like the sound of this management / coaching team a lot better now. Winter will have extensive links at some of the best clubs in the world and to have another guy from the Ajax academy is a great move. I am unsure how loan deals would work in the MLS but hopefully we can get some of the younger players over here to help with squad depth. Failing that then perhaps we can catch some of the guys who do not make it at Ajax, that would be a real plus if this fitted in with the crazy MLS rules. I really hope we do not go down the road of having Mariner and Winter as head coaches, there should only ever be room for one in my opinion with the other as assistant. On another note Winter played as a defensive midfielder, will this dictate his outlook on how the team plays? If so then this will not be in favor with a lot of TFC fans who did not like Preki's teams.

[Nuvinho]

I am a huge dutch fan and Aron Winter was one of my favourite players back in the day. I am happy he is here, but I don't know how he'll do. I guess that's why Mariner was also brought in, as he will help Winter with the ins and outs of MLS.

[TFC The Hague]

If you're familiar with the Ajax Style you know that will NEVER be the case. The Ajax Style tries to operate as a 4-3-3 system with one of the center backs sometimes playing up front as a DM, which means that you shift between 4-3-3 and 3-4-3. It advocates at least playing up front with one target man and 2 wing men. It would give DeRo the chance to play as a natural 'nr.10' in the Ajax Style, with a free role as Attacking Mid or Back-up striker.

[TFC The Hague]

So the picture is:
Aron Winter - Manager (with Earl Cochrane as his right hand man in the technical positon and Jim Brennan as assistant).
Paul Mariner - field trainer/first team coach?
Nick Dasovic - assistant coach
Bob de Klerk - assistant coach/some academy role (with Jason Bent, Stuart Neely at his side?)

Something like this?
Question: who'll coach the team during matches? The manager or the field trainer? My guess is Winter, but that would drop Dasovic two places in the hierarchy...

[wzhxvy]

I do not know the two Dutch additions at all but I do like the fact it appears we are bringing in a team with different specialities and it almost looks like (fingers crossed) that we have a plan...