Toronto FC’s Greg Vanney feels for Sigi Schmid, say former L.A. coach helped many

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“He’s one of the guys who has really helped this league over the course of the years — in many, many ways, not just as a coach but also in consultation for the league and bringing up a bunch of young players who now are in positions of coaching and other different areas in the league. A lot of us who’ve come through UCLA or through Southern California are in various positions. I mean he’s one of the founding fathers of the game and its progress in this country.

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“So it’s unfortunate and disappointing to see him not in the league at the moment. We’ll see where it goes after that but I hope everything is good with him.”

Toronto has plenty of L.A. ties.

Vanney and assistant coaches Dan Calichman and Robin Fraser all captained the Galaxy during their playing days. Jim Liston, Toronto’s director of sport science, was the strength and conditioning coach at the Galaxy during the 1999, 2001 and 2002 MLS Cup final runs.

Vanney played at UCLA with Nick Theslof, another TFC assistant coach.

The Galaxy have an experienced interim coach in Dominic Kinnear, whose 166 career MLS wins rank only behind Schmid and Bruce Arena. Kinnear has been handed the keys for the rest of the season.

Schmid is the winningest coach in MLS history with 266 wins across MLS regular and post-season play. His resume includes two MLS Cups, three Supporters’ Shields and five U.S. Open Cups.

Toronto will likely be watching the Galaxy coaching search closely.

Columbus’ Gregg Berhalter is seen as a leading candidate for both the L.A. and U.S. national team jobs. Vanney, the reigning MLS coach of the year, likely would also be a person of interest.

Like Toronto, the Galaxy are desperate for points to climb back into the playoff picture.

Ninth-place TFC (7-14-6) is nine points out of the last playoff spot in the East with seven games remaining. The Galaxy, who have dropped to eighth in the West, are three points out of the playoffs with six games left.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press