New TFC coach Herdman on leaving Canada's national team: 'This is the time to step off'

Toronto FC unveiled John Herdman as its new head coach on Tuesday, but what most people wanted to talk to him about was his old job.

The 48-year-old former men’s (and women’s) national team coach was initially offered one question at a press conference in Toronto about his new position with the MLS club, which he will assume duties with on Oct. 1. What followed was eight straight minutes of queries regarding his departure from the beleaguered national program.

The England-native Herdman did his best to say all the right things, focusing on the “opportunity” that working for a club owned by the deep pockets of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment presents, or offering up the “cycle of my journey,” having spent five years in each of his past three positions, as another reason.

In the end, what many wanted to know was: why would you walk away from coaching Canada’s men’s team at a World Cup being co-hosted by your own country? Where you’d get to play games home games at BMO Field in Toronto anyway (albeit not until 2026) and have a chance to lead to nation to yet another seminal moment in its soccer history?

“I actually don’t see it as walking away,” Herdman said. “I think I made a mission, in my mind, in the country’s mind, to qualify for Qatar 2022, which back in 2018 was unthinkable to a lot of people.

“I think when you hit that target, as a staff, as group, you know that there’s something being achieved here. That you’ve fulfilled something, for the country. You’ve laid a foundation for its future success.

“For me,” he added, “This is the time. You feel that in your gut. You feel that in your heart. This is the time to step off.”

Pressed further, Herdman eventually hinted to the fact he'd simply had enough. The much-publicized issues of funding Canada Soccer is dealing with and the problems they presented him in his role in running that team had clearly taken their toll. The idea of sticking around and dealing with that for another World Cup cycle was obviously too much. The fact that he was lured by the stability of coaching a club that is winless in 13 games and has lost 10 in a row (both franchise records) speaks volumes to that.

“You know, deep down, it’s been a battle,” he said. “There’s been a lot put in. I’ve given everything. Literally everything. And my staff have as well."

When it was suggested that another reason for his departure was the rumour of a rift between himself and some of the players on the men’s team, Herdman took a step further in expanding upon the issues running the program have presented, while also keeping things vague.

“I’ve got great memories with (the men’s) team. You go through highs and lows, as every coach does,” he said. “It’s been a challenging experience, and time with that group for reasons a lot out of their control, potentially even out of the control of the coaching team. You know, a lot of impacts that you deal with that have got nothing to do with X’s and O’s or positional selections or unit relationships or even coach-player relationships. There’s been a lot of, I’d say, noise that you’ve had to deal with. …

“That’s where this team are at currently, coming out of the back of a World Cup with labour disputes or individuals with deals that challenge the culture. It’s not been easy, there’s no doubt.”

Instead, Herdman will take on the job in Toronto, where there also appears to be no shortage of disgruntled players and stars with issues about tactics and playing time. But at least it will be different.

“This is fresh. It’s new. It’s energetic,” he said. “And we’re ready, we’re ready for change. You know that as a human being. You go through these processes, in your cycle. You just feel it, in your gut, in your heart, with your family.”

As for the national team, Herdman insisted that “walking away gives an opportunity for someone else to come in and lift this team to another level.”

Whether that level is an improvement or a deterioration remains to be seen.