MLSE parts ways with Toronto FC, Argonauts president Bill Manning

Time ran retired for Bill Manning, who oversaw Toronto FC and Argonaut championships successful his domiciled arsenic president of nan MLS and CFL teams.

Manning besides ran retired of results and group to occurrence successful a ‘What person you done for maine lately?” business, pinch Toronto FC an anchor astir his cervix successful caller seasons.

The Major League Soccer broadside has posted a 26-69-30 convention grounds since its past post-season quality successful 2020, erstwhile it vanished 2nd wide successful nan convention but grounded to make it past nan first information of nan playoffs.

Having changed coaches and GMs, Manning recovered himself successful nan firing line.

Toronto FC (7-13-3) is sliding down nan MLS Eastern Conference standings this play having mislaid six consecutive successful convention play and is winless successful 9 (0-7-2). News of Manning’s departure comes nan greeting aft a 2-1 nonaccomplishment to CPL champion Forge FC successful nan first limb of their Canadian Championship semifinal.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment says Manning’s exit was by communal decision.

“On behalf of MLSE’s committee of board and nan full organization, we want to convey Bill for his galore contributions successful his astir 9 years pinch nan company,” MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley said successful a statement. “Bill will ever beryllium an important portion of nan title history for some clubs, but arsenic we measure nan way ahead, and measurement against our ambition to consistently present contending teams, it was wished that a caller guidance was required.

“Bill is simply a very accomplished squad executive, and a bully man, and we wish him and his family nan very champion successful nan future.”

As portion of nan transition, MLSE says TFC wide head Jason Hernandez and Argonauts GM Michael Clemons will study straight to Pelley.

Manning was named TFC president successful October 2015 and later added nan title of Argos president erstwhile nan Canadian Football League franchise was acquired by MLSE successful January 2018.

TFC won nan treble — nan MLS Cup, Canadian Championship and Supporters Shield — successful 2017 and made it to nan MLS Cup last successful 2019. But it ne'er really recovered from having to displacement operations southbound of nan separator during nan pandemic.

Since nan departure of Greg Vanney successful December 2020, nan nine tried Chris Armas, Javier Perez and Bob Bradley arsenic coach earlier settling connected erstwhile Canada coach John Herdman past August.

Herdman is struggling to rebuild nan team, which lacks extent and has spent for illustration a drunken sailor.

Ali Curtis served arsenic GM and Bradley arsenic sporting head earlier Hernandez was elevated to GM successful June 2023

The Toronto Argonauts, 2-2-0 this season, won nan Grey Cup successful 2022 connected Manning’s watch, edging nan Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24-23.

Manning was a two-time victor of nan MLS Executive of nan Year grant pinch Real Salt Lake earlier joining TFC. His hiring meant location was a president successful complaint successful each of MLSE’s prized assets: Brendan Shanahan pinch nan Maple Leafs, Masai Ujiri pinch nan Raptors and Manning pinch TFC.

TFC had been without a president since firing Kevin Payne, who doubled arsenic GM, successful September 2013.

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At nan clip of his hiring, MLSE chair Larry Tanenbaum called Manning an “important and awesome executive.”

“Our ambition is to bring MLS championships to our fans successful Toronto and adding a leader of Bill’s calibre is different important portion of that process and vision,” Tanenbaum added.

TFC has dug heavy into MLSE pockets pinch Italian stars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi nan 2nd and sixth-highest-paid MLS players this play astatine US$15.4 cardinal and US$6.295 million, respectively.

Toronto’s convention grounds since nan Italians made their debut successful July 2022 is an underwhelming 15-39-16.

At nan clip of their signing, Manning made headlines erstwhile he revealed his subordinate hunt started pinch nan internet.

“I really went to nan Transfermarkt website and I looked up nan Italian nationalist squad connected what players were coming retired of contract,” Manning told reporters. “And Lorenzo was 1 of nan fewer players that was coming retired of contract. I started penning down players that I thought were world-class, that I thought would person commercialized worth successful this market.”

Venezuelan world Yeferson Soteldo was a bust arsenic an earlier designated subordinate signing.

Manning won nan MLS’s apical executive grant successful 2012 and 2014 successful 8 years astatine Real Salt Lake, winning nan 2009 MLS Cup and finishing runner-up successful 2013.

A autochthonal of Massapequa, N.Y., Manning began his profession successful sports guidance pinch nan Continental Indoor Soccer League during its inaugural play successful 1993. He subsequently moved connected to nan United Soccer League pinch nan Long Island Rough Riders and past nan Minnesota Thunder wherever he was named USL Executive of nan Year successful 1999.

He started successful MLS successful 2000 arsenic president and GM of nan Tampa Bay Mutiny.

After Tampa folded, Manning worked for nan NBA Houston Rockets (director of firm partnerships) and past nan NFL Philadelphia Eagles (vice-president of income and services) earlier Real Salt Lake brought him backmost to MLS successful 2008.