Major League Soccer in Canada

[FrankieFlowerpot]

Big changes in Toronto at the start of 2019

https://www.wakingthered.com/2019/1/...m-bezbatchenko

In a press conference at the BMO Training Ground this morning, Toronto FC president Bill Manning announced that the club has hired Ali Curtis as the fifth general manager in franchise history. Curtis replaces Tim Bezbatchenko, who left TFC abruptly this week to take over the president’s job at Columbus Crew SC.

Curtis, 40, was previously the sporting director of the New York Red Bulls, from 2014 to early 2017. There, he helped the club to the 2015 Supporters’ Shield. While with RBNY, Curtis developed a reputation for improving the Red Bulls’ youth system and making them a consistently competitive side while maintaining a relatively modest payroll.

TFC’s new GM played in MLS for three years as a forward for the Tampa Bay Mutiny, D.C. United, and FC Dallas. He was a prolific talent in college for Duke, winning the Hermann Trophy and MAC Award as the top player in the NCAA. After his playing days, he worked briefly at both the investment bank JP Morgan and the MLS head office.

Also, Laurent Ciman is back in MLS with Toronto after having his deal at Dijon terminated