Toronto FC have named former LA Galaxy star and US international Greg Vanney as the club's assistant general manager and academy director, the club announced Wednesday.
MLS' first Canadian franchise also announced that Vanney's hiring means that former US Under-20 national team head coach Thomas Rongen will no longer serve as the director of the TFC Academy.
“Greg is a visionary when it comes to player development,” said Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko in a statement. “He shares our club’s passion for innovation and is an educator of both players and coaches. We are pleased to welcome him to Toronto FC. I’d like to thank Thomas for the tremendous job he has done over the past two years here. I have a great deal of respect for him and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
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Vanney, 39, enjoyed a 13-year pro career in MLS and France's Ligue 1, and was most recently the head coach for the Galaxy's U-14 Academy side and technical director of the Galaxy partner club LA Galaxy South Bay. He has also served as the director of Real Salt Lake's Arizona academy and as an assistant coach under Robin Fraser at Chivas USA from 2011-2012.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to join the Toronto FC family and lead a great staff in the development and preparation of players for the TFC first team,” said Vanney in a statement. “The vision and commitment to success and innovation of the ownership, MLSE president & CEO Tim Leiweke, and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko, make this a very exciting challenge.
"I look forward to getting to work with the staff and players in the coming weeks and the Ontario soccer community at large.”
