Thomas Rongen

[ManUtd4ever]

Considering the impending sale of MLSE, it is highly unlikely that a long term decision regarding mangerial changes is plausible at this point in time.

Therefore, I believe the most prudent and practical decision would be to promote someone from within the organization to replace Winter on an interim basis, and re-evaluate the situation at the end of the season.

Fortunately, TFC is in a position to have the perfect candidate already in place as the Director of the Academy. Thomas Rongen is very familiar with the 4-3-3 philosophy that TFC decided to adopt last season, and he is a proven winner at the managerial level in MLS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Rongen

Rongen was one of the inaugural coaches in MLS, coaching the Tampa Bay Mutiny in their first season in 1996, with whom he won the MLS regular season, and also won MLS Coach of the Year Award. After a year with the Mutiny, Rongen moved to the New England Revolution, which he would coach in 1997 and 1998. After the Revolution, Rongen succeeded Bruce Arena as the head coach of D.C. United, which he would lead to an MLS Cup in 1999. However, Rongen lost his job with United in 2001, and was replaced with Ray Hudson. Upon leaving United, Rongen was appointed head coach of the United States U-20 men's national soccer team, which he coached from 2001 to his appointment as head coach of Chivas USA for the team's inaugural season in 2005. However, ten games into the season, with the team's record standing at one win, one tie, and eight losses, he was let go of his head coaching duties. Rongen was appointed head coach of the Under-20 United States men's national team again in 2006 and led the team to the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was fired from that position in May 2011.

Rongen became director of TFC Academy prior to the 2012 season, joining countrymen Aron Winter and Bob de Klerk at Toronto FC

While his coaching record isn't exactly unblemished, he has impressive credentials, and TFC is clearly in need of a new voice in the locker room.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

yeah ive been thinking this for a while. sorta makes sense as hes got the pedigree and plays the 4-3-3. wonder if theyll put Mariner or DeKlerk over him tho (tho i could see De Klerk leave if Winter is gone, same for Mariner if Rongen is picked over him). i like the idea in theory

[Richard]

Why did they really hire him in the first place? We know he is really over qaulified as a YA couch. It says a lot about the confidence in Winter if they brought in a possible replacement who you know wont be sticking around to coach kids.

[TFC07]

If Rongen takes over then who will take over academy? De Klerk?

Winter will just be TD for TFC. So he will still have a spot within TFC if he was relieve from his coaching duties.

[ArmenJBX]

I just had a chance to sit down with Thomas Rongen for an article I'm writing.
He's very, very invested with the TFC Academy - I think maybe even for him, the academy is more important than the first team. He came to Toronto to work on this particular development, and I don't think he'll really want to be first team coach.

The best course of action is to put Aron Winter in a GM position, put Paul Mariner as the head coach, and keep de Klerk as an assistant manager.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

question is whether theyd all swallow that and whether that sort of re positioning would ring through like the Mo era

[ensco]

The best course of action is to put Aron Winter in a GM position, put Paul Mariner as the head coach, and keep de Klerk as an assistant manager.

There is no chance that Mariner would do this with Winter remaining in the more senior position. If you want Mariner on the field, Winter has to go.

[Beach_Red]

There is no chance that Mariner would do this with Winter remaining in the more senior position. If you want Mariner on the field, Winter has to go.

What is the more senior position with this team? With the Leafs we know Burke finally decided to fire Wilson and replace him with Carlyle, but could Mariner, as GM, fire Winter? Seems unlikely. Are these two guys at the same level? Who do they report to? Is Winter in the senior position, could he fire Mariner for not bringing in better players and replace hi with his own guy?

This seems to be the main issue with this team, whose job is what?

[ensco]

^The titles at TFC are classic corproate-speak gobbledygook. The reality seems to be that Winter is both GM and coach, and Mariner is some sort of head of scouting and player development.

[Roogsy]

That ambiguity within the roles of TFC is a huge part of the problem.

I think everyone raised an eyebrow when it was announced...and for good reason.

Instead of trying the tested and true structures, they went out and took a flyer on some sort of hybrid, politically-correct model of appeasing both candidates they brought in. It was the coward's way out.

This team is a circus.

[Huyton]

Montreal LimpAct fans agree.

[denime]

I just had a chance to sit down with Thomas Rongen for an article I'm writing.
He's very, very invested with the TFC Academy - I think maybe even for him, the academy is more important than the first team. He came to Toronto to work on this particular development, and I don't think he'll really want to be first team coach.

The best course of action is to put Aron Winter in a GM position, put Paul Mariner as the head coach, and keep de Klerk as an assistant manager.

Did you really expect from TR to tell you,Yes I want to be TFC Head coach

Mariner will not be TFC Head Coach,if someone will from inside the organization will be than it is Thomas Rongen,and like wrote in Friday news thread,he definitely did not come here to coach youth players.

4-3-3 is TFC philosophy that TFC will stick to it,coach like Mariner that knows only how to coach 4-4-2 will not be hired anytime soon, if ever again by TFC,forget Nicol,Mariner or any other kick and run coach from now on.Mariner was the one who actualy said that TFC will hired only coaches who can and will coach variations of 4-3-3.
TR is huge fan of Barca and the way they develop their players,expectations are that it will take at least 5 years to see 1st results from TFCA.

However TR is pragmatist and if he takes over he will adjust the tactic to get needed wins,like he said in TFCA parents and players meeting few months back,1st team must win(and head coach can not be married to the system),1st team game to game tactic can be adjusted,however all academy teams will practice and play 4-3-3 and none of them must win,junior/senior teams must be competitive.

I wont be surprised once Winter is gone,to see T.Rongen as next head coach of TFC.

[denime]

If Rongen takes over then who will take over academy? De Klerk?

Winter will just be TD for TFC. So he will still have a spot within TFC if he was relieve from his coaching duties.

If Rongen takes over,Winter is gone for good,DeKlerk to academy would not be bad idea,but if he stays with Rongen as ass.coach that would work.academy TD,hire another one and not just TD hire more TFCA coaches too,preferable from Holland if they really want to teach them 4-3-3.

[prizby]

just want to point out the Rongen was the head coach of the US u20 team in the 2007 u20 fifa world cup that dropped Neven Subotic in favour of other defenders...everyone makes errors from time to time, but thats a pretty big one :S...i'm sure there's more to it

[ExiledRed]

4-3-3 is TFC philosophy that TFC will stick to it,coach like Mariner that knows only how to coach 4-4-2 will not be hired anytime soon, if ever again by TFC,forget Nicol,Mariner or any other kick and run coach from now on.

What is your source that Mariner only knows 4-4-2 kick and run? Same for Nicol. Where does this come from?

Nicol/Mariner preferred 3-5-2 pressure football at the revs and must have developed some kind of 'culture' in the dressing room because the players were motivated and strong despite being relatively ordinary MLS stock players.

This veiled prejudice against anything with a british connection is getting a bit strong, and its highly ignorant. Nicol has forgotten more about attractive posession based football than Winter will ever learn.

[ArmenJBX]

Let me rephrase that - he didn't say he wouldn't do the job, nor did he say he would. It was a question I didn't even ask.

However, he is really, really enthusiastic about the Academy, basically obsessed with Downsview, and is visibly passionate about making the academy work. I'm working under the assumption that he loves the job he has now because I don't see him looking to take over from anyone else. He also is a believer of Aron Winter's work, so him pushing Winter out for his own gain is basically not going to happen.

[razor787]

He also isn't going to slander the head coach in an article. Im taking that with a grain of salt. The whole truth is never presented to a journalist.

[ArmenJBX]

Look, my thing is - he's likes his job, so as much as the idea of him taking over may appeal to us, it may not appeal to him.

At least, that's my impression.

[mdc 77]

I agree, there is very little chance that Rongen would take the job even if it was offered.

Also if (when) Winter goes, so does DeKlerk, I don't see a way that DeKlerk stays without Winter.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

Did you really expect from TR to tell you,Yes I want to be TFC Head coach

Mariner will not be TFC Head Coach,if someone will from inside the organization will be than it is Thomas Rongen,and like wrote in Friday news thread,he definitely did not come here to coach youth players.

4-3-3 is TFC philosophy that TFC will stick to it,coach like Mariner that knows only how to coach 4-4-2 will not be hired anytime soon, if ever again by TFC,forget Nicol,Mariner or any other kick and run coach from now on.Mariner was the one who actualy said that TFC will hired only coaches who can and will coach variations of 4-3-3.
TR is huge fan of Barca and the way they develop their players,expectations are that it will take at least 5 years to see 1st results from TFCA.

However TR is pragmatist and if he takes over he will adjust the tactic to get needed wins,like he said in TFCA parents and players meeting few months back,1st team must win(and head coach can not be married to the system),1st team game to game tactic can be adjusted,however all academy teams will practice and play 4-3-3 and none of them must win,junior/senior teams must be competitive.

I wont be surprised once Winter is gone,to see T.Rongen as next head coach of TFC.

kinda what ive been thinking too, hope youre right

[Oldtimer]

I've mentioned Rongen before. I agree, he would be an excellent choice. He's even an MLS Cup-winning coach (yes, I know in the MLS 1.0 days, but still). He might not be willing to take it permanently, but maybe he would be willing to step in on an interim basis. You could certainly do a lot worse.

Whether the Revs played 4-4-2 or more often 3-5-2, I don't think Nicol would be the natural choice, although he's a solid coach who managed to do well with an ownership that has to be the cheapest in the league. It would mainly hinge on whether he can sufficiently adapt his style to match the academy's style so there is enough consistency. Thinking about it while typing (!), he might be able to do so, he is a very intelligent coach. It would certainly be interesting to see Nicol and Mariner reunited. Of course, who knows if he even wants to work for ML$E.

My first choice would be Rongen interim, then hire a more experienced Dutch coach (not necessarily from Ajax) or Spanish coach, from the first or second divisions. Someone who realizes that this is a hard league to win and doesn't have the arrogance that so many Europeans have towards MLS.

BTW, DeVos is waving the flag and tweeting that TFC should have kept Daso ("a promising young Canadian coach") and made Cochrane GM. I can only imagine the meltdown that would have occurred in the SGs if this had happened.

[Beach_Red]

^ Yes, if they had kept Daso and made Cochrane GM and started 0-6 the meltdwn would have been one for the ages.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Why would Rongen want the job? I think the having all control of the academy and development is exactly what he wanted. The instability of the first team would only hamper his CV. I hope he doesn't step up to the guillotine that is the first team job right now.

[ManUtd4ever]

Why would Rongen want the job? I think the having all control of the academy and development is exactly what he wanted. The instability of the first team would only hamper his CV. I hope he doesn't step up to the guillotine that is the first team job right now.

Why wouldn't he want the job?

He has won the MLS Cup twice in his career, and he would have a talented squad at his disposal in an effort to replicate past success this season. The instability of the first team is a direct result of an incompetent coaching staff, which he could mitigate through his own efforts moving forward.

If he was successful, he could have probably have his own statue mounted on the grounds of BMO Field in his honor.

[Fort York Redcoat]

^ I disagree that our first team, our organization at that level, is attractive to anyone who's even heard of MLS right now. I hope you're right but I feel like we'd be giving up a bright future for a slim chance that the results Rongen could make would sate the wolves following this club right now.