It will be all or nothing for Toronto FC interim coach Chris Cummins in 2010. Promoted from assistant coach to interim coach early in the season with the departure of John Carver, Cummins told me Thursday that in his own words he would probably not be interested in returning next year as an assistant.
Who could blame him?
After getting a taste of the head coaching role it would be hard to go back. So what are his chances? Probably, not good. After seeing him in charge for nearly a full season, Mo Johnston has seen all he needs to make up his mind one way or another. To date, there has been no indication that Cummins will get the full time post. Even if the team somehow stages a dramatic turnaround and squeaks into the playoffs, it will prove nothing.
This is the team, and this is how it has performed. It's a .500 club: Win one, lose one.
It will likely be better next year no matter who the coach is; that's the difference Julian DeGuzman will make.
The club has said all along that it will re-evaluate the coaching set up at the end of the season. It looks to me that Cummins will be gone either voluntarily or not.
If so, the first three year chapter of this franchise will come to a close.
2010 will be a watershed year: Grass at BMO Field. Julian De Guzman's first full season. Probably a new head coach. And the playoffs? We'll see.
