Ryan Nelsen is appointed head coach at Toronto FC

[TheArsenalPost]

QPR defender Ryan Nelsen has agreed a deal to take charge as head coach of MLS side FC Toronto.
The New Zealand defender who joined QPR on a free transfer in the summer was approached by the Canadian club regarding a coaching role which he has now accepted.

In a Press Conference for the Toronto FC website, Nelsen said: “I couldn’t turn down this club; it’s such a fantastic opportunity, such a fantastic club and city.”

Toronto FC endured a poor season last year but Nelsen is confident he can turn things around.
“What I can say to the fans is that I will be working day and night, creating and environment at TFC so that every player can get better. This will be an organised team that won’t lie down for anybody. If you do that, you take out variables of losing.”

He added: “I’m in love with the process of winning. The higher you get, at any level, it’s hard.

“The passion in the fans, the passion in Kevin the infrastructure that the club has is so exciting. This is a challenge that is exciting, I can’t wait to start.”

However, Nelsen remains under contract with London side QPR until June 30th 2013 and a compromise will have to be made between him and Harry Redknapp as to when he can start in his new role.

When questioned about Nelsen’s appointment, Kevin Payne, the president of Toronto FC had this to say:

“If you hire a former player, because of the playing qualities they have, they don’t have coaching qualities but they have the intangibles that make them leaders.”

“One of Ryan’s qualities is his sense of responsibility; he needs to fulfil his obligations. We aren’t sure when he will join us, we want to respect QPR, Ryan has been an important player for them.”

In the meantime the defender will be available for QPR’s League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.

Until Nelsen is able to take up his new role in a full-time capacity, newly appointed assistant coach and director of sport Fran O'Leary will take charge.

[Swan]

as a TFC fan i am pissed off with this.

the guy has never coached a game before and wont be here untill the season is over for QPR even though our pre season starts in a couple of weeks..

it's a f***ing joke

[Popey]

haha! strange thing

[TheArsenalPost]

as a TFC fan i am pissed off with this.

the guy has never coached a game before and wont be here untill the season is over for QPR even though our pre season starts in a couple of weeks..

it's a f***ing joke

When I was writing this up earlier, the Toronto FC website was alight with furious tweets saying the same thing. In all honesty, I think he should be doing training first, working under someone. What I got from the Press Conference was that Nelsen and the President of the Club, Kevin Payne are good friends, seems to be the reason he got the job.

[GSK_AFC]

Nice bit of journalism TAP.

[TheArsenalPost]

Nice bit of journalism TAP.

Thanks man.

[Swan]

as a TFC fan i am pissed off with this.

the guy has never coached a game before and wont be here untill the season is over for QPR even though our pre season starts in a couple of weeks..

it's a f***ing joke

When I was writing this up earlier, the Toronto FC website was alight with furious tweets saying the same thing. In all honesty, I think he should be doing training first, working under someone. What I got from the Press Conference was that Nelsen and the President of the Club, Kevin Payne are good friends, seems to be the reason he got the job.

yeah nelsen played at DC United when Payne was there before he move over to england..payne has a history of putting guys in with no experience it has worked out for him before but that don't mean it will this time..

[Swan]

there has been some changes ( always is with tfc) no more payne but nelsen is still here surprisingly after last years shit show.

first we got some new upper brass then

we sign Gilberto Oliveira Souza Junior
then we bring back Dwayne De Rosario
and now we get Micheal bradley
and Jermain Defoe


i'm pretty pumped going into this year and cant wait for the season to start

[Callum]

Michael Bradley is a major coup. Unlike Defoe and the other big names that have come before him, he's not well past his peak and just looking for one last pay day.

[Swan]

i think defoe will do well. i know he is a spud and all but if the guys puts the ball in the net a lot i'm willing to let it slide..

with every year finishing dead last or close to it i feel better about this year

[Santi]

Defoe is good, give him a full season and i'm sure he'd be brill.

[Swan]

i think he would need the service from the mid and went out and got players that can do that

[VCC]

Great player did so much for New Zealand football I wish him the very best

[Swan]

it didnt start out well for him last year. we won 6 games all year and i,m not sure how we didnt finish dead last but things have changed this year its looking up