Quick show of hands: Who honestly thought Greg Vanney would last this long as head coach of Toronto FC when he was first handed the job?
One can hardly be blamed for thinking that Vanney would still be around when he took over from Ryan Nelsen on Sept. 2014. His inexperience — this was his first head coaching gig, having only previously served as an assistant at Chivas USA — and TFC’s history of hiring and firing coaches suggested that Vanney would eventually become another managerial casualty. It didn’t quite work out that way, though.
Vanney, 43, is Toronto FC’s longest-serving and most successful coach, having won back-to-back Canadian Championships and having guided the team to last year’s MLS Cup final. He’s also the first coach in franchise history to earn a second contract – he signed a new deal in July.
On the occasion of his three-year anniversary, Vanney sat down for a lengthy, one-on-one chat with Sportsnet to discuss a variety of subjects, including: his coaching influences, his reflections on the MLS Cup final loss, how he balances his family and professional life, his working relationship with GM Tim Bezbatchenko and much more.
To read part 1, CLICK HERE
To read part 2, CLICK HERE
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