John Herdman resigned as coach of the Canadian national team on Monday after agreeing to coach Toronto FC in MLS starting October 1.
The 48-year-old Briton took charge of the men’s team in 2018 after seven years at the helm of the women’s team. The men qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1986. Canada lost to Belgium, Croatia and Morocco at Qatar 2022.
Herdman then said he hoped to stay in the role until the 2016 World Cup, which Canada will co-host. But in June, he warned that the Canadian federation needed to invest more in the national team.
Toronto fired Bob Bradley on June 26 and named Terry Dunfield as interim. The club, where Italian stars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi play, has 19 points, the fewest in the league which has 29 teams.
“It’s the perfect time to take on a new challenge in my career, and the structure of club football was something I aspired to be a part of,” Herdman said, as quoted in a Toronto release.
Mauro Biello, assistant coach since 2018, will take over as interim coach. Canada will travel to Japan in a friendly on October 13 before a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal in November.
Herdman coached the New Zealand women’s team from 2006 to 2011. She led Canada to bronze medals in women’s soccer at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
“Devoted organizer. Incurable thinker. Explorer. Tv junkie. Travel buff. Troublemaker.”
