Toronto FC head coach John Herdman steps down after missing playoffs in 1st season
CBC
In the end, John Herdman saw the writing on the wall and walked away from it.
Embroiled in the Paris Olympic drone-spying scandal that has already cost Canadian women's head coach Bev Priestman her job, Herdman resigned Friday as coach of Toronto FC.
With the scandal not going away, Herdman opted to step aside rather than have the matter around his neck like an albatross.
Canada Soccer announced July 31 it had retained Sonia Regenbogen from the law firm of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark to handle the review of the Olympic incident "and subsequently, any related matters of a historic nature."
A former Canada women's and men's coach, Herdman has been linked to a culture of spying within Canada Soccer. The fact that he did not speak to Regenbogen added fuel to the fire when the report finally came out.
Herdman declined to publicly address such allegations, citing the "integrity of the investigation." But he maintained his record was clean at the Olympics and World Cups.
"I can again clarify that at a FIFA World Cup, pinnacle event, Olympic Games, at a Youth World Cup, those activities have not been undertaken," he said in July. "And I've got nothing else to say on that matter."
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."
It is understood the decision to leave was Herdman's alone. Neither he nor MLSE offered further comment Friday.
In walking away from TFC, Herdman may have negated the need for further investigation into any past misdeeds. If he is not coaching in Canada, Canada Soccer can look ahead.
According to Canada Soccer's Disciplinary Code, sanctions available to a discipline hearing committee range from a written notice of admonishment to a lifetime suspension.
"We will evaluate the appropriate course of action and determine the next steps to take in this matter," Canada Soccer said in a statement.
