Larson reporting that former Real Salt Lake team president Bill Manning has been hired as TFC team president.
Larson reporting that former Real Salt Lake team president Bill Manning has been hired as TFC team president.
Interesting, will be fun to see how he uses a club with the financial might of mlse.
Congratulate Bill
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/bill-manning/6/170/289
So much for the Italian management project.
in the end, MLS experience trumps over all other considerations
Manning is an interesting case. He did a lot to turn a previously unknown market at SLC into a soccer loving town on a limited budget. Kinda remarkable actually. So he knows a bit about brand building and he'll fight tooth and nail to preserve the TFC experience at BMO Field.
Last edited by Yohan; 10-12-2015 at 09:20 AM.
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
My first reaction was that it perhaps was less ambitious but positions TFC well within the MLSE structure, and has instant credibility within MLS.
He's been involved with the league for almost a decade now. I wonder if that will be enough MLS experience for some of us?
Jokes aside, I'm pretty stoked about this news. RSL has become a solid organization in MLS under his leadership, with successes both on and of the pitch. Just think what he could bring to the table with the financial backing of Rogers and Bell.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
A real positive is that he will already know Vanney's strong and weak points from RSL, can properly evaluate him without feeling a need to dump him just to "get his own guy."
Also Vanney will have worked for him before, so there is already that relationship. Bez will know him from Bez's time at the league office.
Having a president shows MLSE taking TFC seriously. No downsides that I can see to this.
Last edited by Oldtimer; 10-12-2015 at 09:35 AM.
Seems like a great move by all accounts.
FINALLY!! This is what many of us have been begging for for years. An experienced soccer guy as the president (and NOT GM) of the club. Someone who can be a steady presence at the top of the organizational structure, have the competence to guide the direction of the organization, while not being directly liable for results.
We asked for one in 2012 when the club was a complete circus with the likes of Mariner and the Cock running the show through lies and taking advantage of Anselmi's complete lack of understanding of the game. What we got was an improvement over that, but it was fucked from the beginning because it was a president AND GM. Leiweke taking over all of MLSE was the closest thing we've had to a real president at TFC, because he actually had a clue, but from practically the beginning he was already on his way out again. Now, three years after we really started to ask for one, we finally have that president, and I couldn't be happier with his experience. This is a guy who has the experience that I can trust him to hire and fire people
Solid move. I'd rather have him as pres than someone from overseas who doesn't know the league.
About time!! Nice to know we will have a soccer guy on our side!!!
Great move. Really the ideal candidate to work as the link between Bez and MLSE.
I think this is an excellent move and since we now have a bonafide president its time we move to a more traditional structure with Vanney as full manager. I'm still not comfortable with Bez as GM and making talent evaluation decisions, I rather they retain him for contracts and league negotiations.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Last edited by ag futbol; 10-12-2015 at 01:31 PM.
Kind of reminiscent of the Kevin Payne move. Hopefully, things work out for the better this time around.
Wait, so what exactly is his role as president?
Last edited by portu; 10-12-2015 at 12:41 PM.
Nice to see as per Kurt Larson's tweet.
Kurtis Larson @KurtLarSUN 23m23 minutes ago
New TFC president Bill Manning tells @TheTorontoSun he plans to meet with supporters: 'Absolutely. One of the first things I did at RSL."
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
This seems like a very sensible hire.
I don't really understand these team President structures. I mean, now that he hired Lamoriello, what does Shanahan do all day?
I would have vastly preferred Lagerwey because that Talent ID skillset is so difficult in MLS.
I think I am agnostic on this hire, until I see what he does with Bez (maybe Vanney too). I am tired of the MLSE special, where the new guy has to work with people hired by others.
It may be that Bez needs to go as a demonstration of a healthy functioning FO (I say that regardless of your opinion of Bez).
"There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring." - Johan Cruyff
On paper, seems like a good hire, but Toronto isn't small market like Salt Lake so it will be interesting to see if new president can adjust to this market and culture (big money spending to dealing with politics of MLSE ownership).
Some tweets on this
Check out this tweet at
https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/653644906053828608
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/653649383217430528
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/653646461347860480
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/KurtLarSUN/status/653629561477795840
What's happening at RSL??
Really like this signing, seems like Manning was the best 'MLS guy' available. Hopefully our FO is now settled and we finally see some stability for the next few years.