Perez did an admirable job, but it appears that TFC have bigger plans…
TORONTO, Canada—Toronto FC announced on Tuesday that Javier Perez will not return as head coach next season, putting an end to his four-month tenure in charge of the Reds.
“We would like to thank Javier for his hard work this season,” said Toronto FC President Bill Manning in a press release. “He stepped into a difficult situation and was a true professional in every regard. We wish him well in his next endeavor.”
After stepping in as interim head coach following the firing of Chris Armas on July 4, Perez was dealt a difficult hand, essentially asked to do the impossible and save a sinking ship. Nevertheless, the Spaniard won the role of head coach for the remainder of the season following a string of strong performances and despite a lack of star power at his disposal.
Perez finished with a 5-10-8 (23 points) in Major League Soccer and was 2-1-0 in the Canadian Championship with TFC falling to CF Montreal by a 1-0 score in the final played on Sunday.
While Perez did an admirable job, especially considering the circumstances, the move comes as no surprise as Bob Bradley to Toronto FC rumours continue to heat up. Last week, LAFC announced Bradley would not be returning as head coach of the club and there are several reports linking him to become the next manager of TFC.
Perez isn’t the first domino to fall in what should be a very busy offseason for the Reds after finishing second last in MLS — their worst finish in franchise history.
On Sunday, a report from Fabrizio Romano stated that Jozy Altidore was set to leave the club following another down year. The club has yet to comment on that rumour, but all indications point to Altidore being the subject to a buyout in the offseason.
And on Monday, TFC announced that General Manager Ali Curtis and the club were parting ways, just months after Curtis signed a multi-year extension.