Herdman facing huge soccer challenge
Expectations high for new mens coach, says Kurtis Larson.
TORONTO Octavio Zambrano didn’t just fall short. The Ecuadoran apparently didn’t come close to meeting expectations laid out by the Canadian Soccer Association.
The 59-year-old was sacked late Monday night in a soccer shocker that surprised everyone except for those on the inside, according to multiple wellplaced sources.
The “botched hiring,” as one informed source labelled Zambrano, became apparent as “administrative issues” began to pile up less than a year into his tumultuous tenure.
He was late to meetings and struggled to implement a top-tobottom development plan that encompassed Canada’s youth teams, according to another source in the position to know.
While one Canadian international said some senior players “loved” Zambrano, the CSA’s top brass weren’t impressed with Canada’s recent Gold Cup run, with one decision-maker giving Les Rouges’ performance a “C-plus” grade.
But Zambrano was supplanted by John Herdman, Canada’s well-respected women’s coach, because of his inability to oversee Canada’s entire men’s program, sources said.
Enter Herdman, a 42-year-old Englishman who resurrected Canada’s women’s program following its embarrassing last-place showing at the 2011 Women’s World Cup.
Back-to-back Olympic bronze medals afforded Herdman the right to lean on the CSA as it mulled replacing Zambrano just nine months into his two-year tenure. An informed source speculated the CSA’s board faced a dilemma: Potentially lose Herdman to a European suitor, or give him the men’s job. The move afforded the CSA the chance to dismiss a bad hire while retaining a manager it believes will succeed where Zambrano failed.
Herdman is meticulous in his preparation, with a demonstrated ability to cultivate young talent and get results. He’s earned the opportunity an informed source speculated he had been seeking since the Rio Games.
Herdman’s going to get the chance to prove how good of a manager he is. Those quick to dismiss Herdman’s resume have short memories. Ex-Canada coach Benito Floro fell well short of expectations despite having a mile-long resume that included the name “Real Madrid.”
There’s a reason a front office in Major League Soccer recently considered contacting Herdman. He’s earned respect as a leader and a team builder. Now Herdman’s under the media microscope — something that’s going to persist whether he’s a success or a failure.