Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney was named MLS Coach of the Year on Monday, after leading TFC to a record-breaking 2017 regular season.
Toronto set the all-time MLS record with 69 regular season points, tied the 2014 Seattle Sounders for most wins in a single season with 20, finished second in league history with a plus-37 goal difference, tied for second with 74 regular season goals and placed third all-time by averaging 2.03 points per game.
The club is looking to become the first team in MLS history to win the domestic treble. Toronto already won the Canadian Championship and Supporters’ Shield and will look to advance to MLS Cup on Wednesday when they host Columbus Crew SC in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship series (7:30 pm ET; FS1 in the US; TSN 1/4/5, TVAS in Canada). The series is currently knotted at 0-0 from the first leg.
While the Reds unquestionably have one of the most talented, if not the most talented, roster in all of MLS, Vanney has adeptly managed big personalities and successfully integrated a good deal of depth pieces into the first team.
High-priced stars Sebastian Giovinco, Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Victor Vazquez have led the way for the Reds. But Vanney has done an excellent job of developing young players like Alex Bono, Marky Delgado, Eriq Zavaleta, Raheem Edwards and Jonathan Osorio, helping turn them into regular starters and legitimate contributors.
Now in his third full season as Toronto head coach after he took over for Ryan Nelsen two-thirds of the way through the 2014 season, Vanney has a 51-35-26 regular season record with TFC.
The MLS Coach of the Year award is voted on by MLS club management, media and current MLS players. Below is a breakdown of the voting results:
Coach of the Year |
Player Vote |
Club Vote |
Media Vote |
Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Greg Vanney (TOR) |
26.98% |
44.05% |
40.18% |
37.07% |
Gerardo “Tata” Martino (ATL) |
35.71% |
3.57% |
27.61% |
22.30% |
Veljko Paunović (CHI) |
9.92% |
10.71% |
12.88% |
11.17% |
Patrick Vieira (NYC) |
9.13% |
17.86% |
3.99% |
10.33% |
Carl Robinson (VAN) |
3.17% |
9.52% |
5.52% |
6.07% |
Gregg Berhalter (CLB) |
1.59% |
4.76% |
0.92% |
2.42% |
MLS Coach of the Year Winners:
- 2017: Greg Vanney – Toronto FC
- 2016: Oscar Pareja – FC Dallas
- 2015: Jesse Marsch – New York Red Bulls
- 2014: Ben Olsen – D.C. United
- 2013: Caleb Porter – Portland Timbers
- 2012: Frank Yallop – San Jose Earthquakes
- 2011: Bruce Arena – LA Galaxy
- 2010: Schellas Hyndman – FC Dallas
- 2009: Bruce Arena – Los Angeles Galaxy
- 2008: Sigi Schmid – Columbus Crew
- 2007: Preki – Chivas USA
- 2006: Bob Bradley – Chivas USA
- 2005: Dominic Kinnear – San Jose Earthquakes
- 2004: Greg Andrulis – Columbus Crew
- 2003: Dave Sarachan – Chicago Fire
- 2002: Steve Nicol – New England Revolution
- 2001: Frank Yallop – San Jose Earthquakes
- 2000: Bob Gansler – Kansas City Wizards
- 1999: Sigi Schmid – Los Angeles Galaxy
- 1998: Bob Bradley – Chicago Fire
- 1997: Bruce Arena – D.C. United
- 1996: Thomas Rongen – Tampa Bay Mutiny
