John Herdman resigns as head coach of Toronto FC

John Herdman, embroiled in the drone-spying scandal that has dogged Canada Soccer, has resigned as coach of Toronto FC.

John Herdman, embroiled in the drone-spying scandal that has dogged Canada Soccer, has resigned as coach of Toronto FC.

Herdman was put in charge of the MLS team in late August after stepping down as coach of the Canadian men's team.

No reason for the resignation was given in the four-paragraph release by TFC.

“Personally, I have made the difficult decision that it’s the right time for me to step away from the club, as the organization defines its vision for the future,” Herdman said in the statement. “It has been an honour to wear the Toronto FC crest and contribute to the growth of the club.

"Working with this dedicated group of players and staff has been a true privilege. I want to thank (president and chief executive officer) Keith Pelley and MLSE ownership for the opportunity, and I also want to thank the incredible fans for the support they’ve shown me both on and off the pitch. I wish the organization success going forward, and I look forward to the next chapter in my career.”

The drone-spying scandal at the Paris Olympics has already cost Canadian women's head coach Bev Priestman her job in the wake of the recent release of an independent report into the matter.

Canada Soccer has said Priestman will not be returning. Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi are currently serving one-year suspensions from FIFA, with Lombardi having already resigned his Canada Soccer position