Change is coming at Toronto FC.
And while Toronto (11-19-4) was just eliminated from playoff contention, work has been underway for months on what’s needed to revive the ailing Major League Soccer franchise.
“TFC is a complete rebuild. Everything is on the table,” said Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
“We don’t have a club identity, a club ethos, currently right now for TFC. I kind of realized that pretty quickly that it’s kind of lost its way,” added Pelley, who took charge of MLSE in April.
To help get the team back on track, Pelley has engaged former Bayern Munich technical director Marco Neppe, who has been conducting a “full organizational review” of TFC for 2½ months.
The study, in tandem with GM Jason Hernandez, covered everything at the club from the academy on up.
“We started the process,” said Pelley. “That’s the only positive currently right now about not making the playoffs – is we can start the rebuild quicker.”
Neppe, 38, left Bayern in April after 10 successful years with the German powerhouse. At the time of his departure Bayern CE0 Jan-Christian Dreesen noted how, under Neppe, Bayern, had “discovered outstanding talents such as Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala, who have matured into world-class players in Munich.
“He was an important factor in squad planning and, not least because of his excellent network, also in the completion of many transfers.”
Neppe started as a scout with Bayern in 2014, was put in charge of the department three years later and named technical director in December 2021. During his time with the club, Bayern won nine Bundesliga titles, the DFB Cup three times and the German Supercup six times.
And in 2020, Bayern won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
In contrast, TFC has gone 30-75-31 in league play since its last playoff appearance in 2020 when it was dispatched in the first round by expansion Nashville. Toronto has been outscored 252-154 over that time.
While Toronto has made strides this season under John Herdman in his first full campaign as coach – the team finished in the league basement last season at 4-20-10 – he did it with a largely inherited side while Hernandez worked to clear up salary cap logjams.
Italian designated players Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, whose combined salaries this season total US$21.7-million, have been polarizing figures with just 12 goals between them in 2024.
New York City FC has got 12 goals from Santi Rodriguez, at a salary of US$1.3 million, with a game to go.
Bernardeschi won kudos for his work ethic, switching to wingback at Herdman’s request. But after recording eight goals and five assists in nine league outings from April 27 to June 29, his output fizzled in an 18-game goal drought.
His self-control was also lacking. With playoffs on the line, he was shown a red card in TFC’s penultimate game against the Red Bulls and missed the season finale against Inter Miami through suspension.
Bernardeschi was sent off three times this season and missed two more games due to yellow-card accumulation.
Insigne’s body broke down during the season, limiting him to four goals in 23 league appearances, including 17 starts. His on-field body language was awful at times, the former Napoli captain coming across as a picture of discontent.
“I think with TFC we have to look at everything at this particular time – including Lorenzo Insigne and how he fits into the plans in this team long-term,” said Pelley.
With both Italians under contract through 2026 (Insigne’s deal expires in June and Bernardeschi’s at the end of the year), any parting of the ways will not come cheaply, even if the player is motivated to move on.
Herdman and his staff have been putting in long hours trying to turn the team around.
“I’ve never seen a work ethic like [his]. He’s a machine,” Osorio said of Herdman.
“He cares,” he added. “We need people that care.”
Osorio and Herdman both took time to speak to disgruntled fans in the south stand after recent losses.
“They want to see action,” Herdman, speaking after the season-ending Miami defeat, said of the supporters. “I think they’ve seen some elements of action this year. But not enough. Not enough to fully get a picture of what this club could be in the future.”
The losing has taken its toll. While Toronto ranks eighth in the league in attendance, averaging 25,681 this season, Pelley says the show rate for ticket-holders was down to 75 per cent.
That was due in part to congestion getting to the stadium and evening kickoff times.