TFC hires Greg Vanney as Assistant GM and Director of Academy (Rongen out)

[mowe]

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2013/12...es-greg-vanney

Toronto FC announced Wednesday that it has hired Greg Vanney as Assistant General Manager and Toronto FC KIA Academy Director. As a result, Thomas Rongen is no longer the Director of the Academy.
“Greg is a visionary when it comes to player development. He shares our Club’s passion for innovation and is an educator of both players and coaches. We are pleased to welcome him to Toronto FC,” said Toronto FC General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “I’d like to thank Thomas for the tremendous job he has done over the past two years here. I have a great deal of respect for him and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Vanney, 39, joins Toronto FC after most recently serving as the head coach for LA Galaxy’s U-14 Academy side and Technical Director of the LA Galaxy partner club LA Galaxy South Bay. He is also currently taking part in the Elite Formation Coaching Licence program, a development course partnered by Major League Soccer (MLS) and the French Football Federation. Vanney holds a USSF “A” Coaching License and has been involved with the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

[Yohan]

and jason de vos rant in three... two... one...

[mcolvy]

LOL.
Thomas Rongen seemed liked the ideal guy and seemed to get the academy back on track....
He always talked deeply about the right paths to development and getting the teams the proper competition and what not & as a coach he was given the US u20's for almost 10 years...

I mean common now. What more could you have wanted? I really don't like to see him leaving. He was an asset.

[flamehawk]

LOL.
Thomas Rongen seemed liked the ideal guy and seemed to get the academy back on track....
He always talked deeply about the right paths to development and getting the teams the proper competition and what not & as a coach he was given the US u20's for almost 10 years...

I mean common now. What more could you have wanted? I really don't like to see him leaving. He was an asset.

From the limited insight I have of the academy, that is my assessment too. It was an amazing story what he did with American Samoa, and was one of the few folks in TFC I had some confidence in.

[Manager87]

I have a feeling it was Tim Leiweke move to get rid of Thomas Rongen as Greg Vanney worked at L.A Galaxy

[Detroit_TFC]

I wonder if this is a precursor to some asst coach moves. Making Vanney asst GM along with Academy director, would seem to be a hands on type of assignment.

[Ultra & Proud]

I have a feeling it was Tim Leiweke move to get rid of Thomas Rongen as Greg Vanney worked at L.A Galaxy

This and I still think TL is doing the scorched earth policy in regards to our management structure. I expect more changes still.

[Yohan]

This and I still think TL is doing the scorched earth policy in regards to our management structure. I expect more changes still.

I'm going to be upset if TL fires Dichio and Malcolm the kit man.

[ProfessorDamage]

This and I still think TL is doing the scorched earth policy in regards to our management structure. I expect more changes still.

Nothing wrong with scorched earth when the "earth" is a legacy of consistent and utter failure.

[Initial B]

So TL is just going to bring everyone over from LAG that he wants? I would have gotten rid of some of the other assistant coaches than Rongen. I thought he was supposed to make this team better, not develop a new personality cult around himself.

The assistant GM position is an interesting move. What are the odds that Tim B is actually only on loan from MLS FO, and as soon as he's righted the TFC salary cap situation he goes back there and Vanney takes over?

[OgtheDim]

Dichio is not going to be fired. He's worth more keeping around.

And, he'll be the manager in 10 years, one way another.

[TFC07]

I'm going to be upset if TL fires Dichio and Malcolm the kit man.

Why? Dichio was hired because he was a fan favourite. If I was investing in millions on academy, then I would want the best people to run it not bunch of inexperience people like Dichio.

As for this hire, this is common for new boss to bring his own people he trusts to run an organization (especially a failing organization like TFC). There should have been a house cleaning on day one not sure why it's taking long for TL to get rid of everyone in organization. We need qualified people coming from winning culture to change TFC's culture.

[jloome]

Why? Dichio was hired because he was a fan favourite. If I was investing in millions on academy, then I would want the best people to run it not bunch of inexperience people like Dichio.

As for this hire, this is common for new boss to bring his own people he trusts to run an organization (especially a failing organization like TFC). There should have been a house cleaning on day one not sure why it's taking long for TL to get rid of everyone in organization. We need qualified people coming from winning culture to change TFC's culture.

If you saw the story on mlssoccer.com , Vanney states in his first quote he's looking forward to meeting with the Ontario Soccer Community. Rongen was a good technical guy, but TFC has a tragically bad relationship with some elements of amateur soccer, and that kind of cultivated quote is there to make a first impression that a young, community oriented guy like Vanney -- who coached youth while also running the Galaxy academy -- can bridge that gap.

These guys seem to be doing things more thoughtfully so far than their predecessors.

[Yohan]

Why? Dichio was hired because he was a fan favourite. If I was investing in millions on academy, then I would want the best people to run it not bunch of inexperience people like Dichio.

As for this hire, this is common for new boss to bring his own people he trusts to run an organization (especially a failing organization like TFC). There should have been a house cleaning on day one not sure why it's taking long for TL to get rid of everyone in organization. We need qualified people coming from winning culture to change TFC's culture.

TFC, well, previous regime, has invested a lot of time and money into Dichio's coaching career. He's taking a coaching course with French FA, a rare chance for a North American coach. Be shame to throw away that sort of investment.

[OgtheDim]

He is also currently taking part in the Elite Formation Coaching Licence program, a development course partnered by Major League Soccer (MLS) and the French Football Federation.

Is that the same course Dichio is on?

[Phil]

Ahhh we can talk about this one now.

[Greatest Ripoff]

Am I the only one who thinks it is a big leap from u14 coach to runing a whole academy as well as being an assistant general manager? And if they were going to hire a new academy director, why not hire someone whose sole focus will be the academy?

[Greatest Ripoff]

Also is it really good for player development to hire a new academy director and change directions every two years? Youth development isn't something that happens in the short term. They better have the right guy now who wants to be here for the long term and is given the time to develop players. That is another worry I have about him being assistant gm. What happens in one or two years when Bez gets fired and a new gm comes in? Will this guy get fired and the academy goes through upheaval again? This is one area of the clubs that really need long term stability.

[Leedsoronto]

TFC, well, previous regime, has invested a lot of time and money into Dichio's coaching career. He's taking a coaching course with French FA, a rare chance for a North American coach. Be shame to throw away that sort of investment.

This.....

TR and Dichio were a good pairing IMO. But, we move on I suppose.

We all know the academy is not the problemo at TFC, in fact they have been the shining lights in the 2013 season, it's that other team were issues lie, the MLS guys, let's get that team sorted first.

[Haddy]

Also is it really good for player development to hire a new academy director and change directions every two years? Youth development isn't something that happens in the short term. They better have the right guy now who wants to be here for the long term and is given the time to develop players. That is another worry I have about him being assistant gm. What happens in one or two years when Bez gets fired and a new gm comes in? Will this guy get fired and the academy goes through upheaval again? This is one area of the clubs that really need long term stability.

I didn't realize the academy director is so close to the kids that a staffing change qualified as 'upheaval'.

Coaches have the biggest effect. I'll be more sympathetic to your point if the coaching staff gets an overhaul. Five team coaches listed - a new one every two years of age.

As for other folks comments about him being a 'Leiweke Galaxy' guy....why? Because that was his last stop? His resume suggests otherwise.

[ag futbol]

This.....

TR and Dichio were a good pairing IMO. But, we move on I suppose.

We all know the academy is not the problemo at TFC, in fact they have been the shining lights in the 2013 season, it's that other team were issues lie, the MLS guys, let's get that team sorted first.

Academy has some issues to deal with unfortunately. The statement from Vanney is a good start and it shows they know where some of the problems are.

[Greatest Ripoff]

I didn't realize the academy director is so close to the kids that a staffing change qualified as 'upheaval'.

Coaches have the biggest effect. I'll be more sympathetic to your point if the coaching staff gets an overhaul. Five team coaches listed - a new one every two years of age.

As for other folks comments about him being a 'Leiweke Galaxy' guy....why? Because that was his last stop? His resume suggests otherwise.

No, the director sets the course for the academy and sets out what the coaches will be teaching. If a new director comes in every two years with new philosophies and ideas, the kids in the academy change what and/or how they are taught. It doesn't matter if their is consistency in coaches, because the players will have a new coach every few years as they move up the age groups. What is important is that the academy director has a plan for development from the youngest through to a senior player. There is no way to properly do this if it gets changed every two years.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Nothing wrong with scorched earth when the "earth" is a legacy of consistent and utter failure.

Legacy cannot be achieved without some consistency.

[ag futbol]

Consistency means nothing if it's not with the right people. From everything I heard, Rogen was not the right person.

[Phil]

Not to pile on, but the feedback on Rogen was terrible. Technologically challenged and intimidated by a lot of new things. Of course most of this is second hand talk so it could be very wrong.

[namebutler]

Folks, first time poster long time fan, blah, blah etc.

But seriously I suggest you talk to some of the kids who went to the recent academy try outs. Free which was nice.

I talked to a U15 player. The tryouts were large group broken into games. From those games one group of 30 was selected which played another game. If someone heard of another format please provide info.

So in the tryout that I heard about no testing of skills. Watch some of the Nike Academy videos on Youtube to see how to cast a wide net and find raw talent. Yes it would be difficult to filter through all the kids but once a year do something to really try and find the hidden talent.

Toronto has more than enough kids (I'm coaching youth level) to develop some fanastic talent. There are tons of factors affecting that development.

Maybe TFC is starting to rethink how the recruitment process works not just the coaching side.

Regarding the director's overall role its more the club direction, think AJAX or Bayern. You think that if they changed technical directors the club would start producing different players?

[Fort York Redcoat]

Consistency means nothing if it's not with the right people. From everything I heard, Rogen was not the right person.

Point being Legacy takes longer than a season.


Unless we want to celebrate a Legacy of Change.


If you're right in what you've heard, fine, I don't want to stick it out just because. I want to make sure everyone gets their time to prove themselves.

[Ultra & Proud]

It seems like Vanney is at least interested in building relationships with local Football clubs and that's a start. From that alone I see this as a positive.

[Greatest Ripoff]

Not to pile on, but the feedback on Rogen was terrible. Technologically challenged and intimidated by a lot of new things. Of course most of this is second hand talk so it could be very wrong.

If that was the case, then it is for the best that he is moved. But when he was hired two years ago this should had been something the club knew about when they were hired him. Things like this are not something that just happen out of the blue. I hope they have the correct person in charge now and he is given the time to build the proper development pathways.

[Phil]

If that was the case, then it is for the best that he is moved. But when he was hired two years ago this should had been something the club knew about when they were hired him. Things like this are not something that just happen out of the blue. I hope they have the correct person in charge now and he is given the time to build the proper development pathways.

It goes back to the organizational rot that happened. All the games played at TFC were in the boardroom, not on the pitch. You had divisions made and football knowledge or experience was not the most valued commodity. So you have a guy like Earl in there, brings in Thomas, Mariner hangs with them too....then Payne. Now we are seeing the dismantle going in reverse and this pretty much seals all of it. A lot of good football people got caught in the crossfire - like Bob De Klerk. Imagine having a guy like that - loads of youth development and experience from Ajax (a fabled development hotbed) running this outfit. We had him but obviously lacked the football awareness to properly use his talents.