Vancouver, BC -- As the Vancouver Canucks get ready to begin Game 1 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, the MLS Western Conference’s last place Vancouver Whitecaps FC are moving in the opposite direction, announcing today that they have terminated head coach Teitur Thordarson.
With close to forty years of European soccer experience but zero MLS experience, the Icelandic Thordarson was let go in a move that could have been well justified some months ago.
The expansion Whitecaps FC have yet to win since their season opener and although they’ve had numerous close games that could have gone either way, they have produced just one win on the season and an unimpressive 1-5-6 record overall.
Replacing Thordarson is Tom Soehn, a Chicago native who played five seasons in MLS with Dallas and Chicago, and brings a decade of coaching experience.
He was an assistant for the Chicago Fire (2001-2003) and D.C. United (2003-2007), and then head coach of D.C. United from 2007 through 2009. Over three seasons, he posted a 36-30-24 regular-season record. His sides won the Supporters’ Shield in 2007 and the US Open Cup in 2008.
"Knowing that I was going into something where I felt [Vancouver] was going to be a strong organization down the line, and I would be able to be a part of that on the ground floor and build something and put my print on it — that was pretty exciting for me," Soehn said.
“Tommy brings extensive experience in Major League Soccer, and in the past year, has immersed himself in the culture of our club. Supported by Denis Hamlett and Colin Miller, we have an excellent balance of Whitecaps and MLS knowledge and expertise,” Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi said in a statement.
By Adrian Yeung
Staff Reporter for TheDailySportsHerald.com
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