Last week witnessed significant upheaval in Canadian soccer as former women’s head coach Bev Priestman and two other coaching staff members were dismissed by Canada Soccer. This action followed an independent report revealing their unauthorized use of drones to surveil the New Zealand women’s team during the 2024 Olympics. Priestman’s removal was a direct consequence of these findings.
However, the situation remains less clear for John Herdman, previously head coach for both Canada’s women’s and men’s national teams and currently leading Toronto FC. Speculation is mounting that Herdman’s association with the “Dronegate” scandal might lead to his departure from Toronto FC. According to Steve Simmons, a Toronto Sun sports columnist, Herdman’s involvement could soon result in his exit from the club.
Under the department of what took so long: Bev Priestman is out as head coach of Canada’s national women’s soccer team. Coming soon, John Herdman and Toronto FC will be parting ways. The drone scandal from Paris has deep roots.
— Steve Simmons (@simmonssteve) November 12, 2024
The Shadow of the Drone Scandal and Herdman’s Involvement
This development could potentially close a controversial chapter for John Herdman. It’s worth recalling that Herdman and several Toronto FC players were involved in an on-field altercation with New York City FC following a home defeat on May 11th. In the post-match press conference, Herdman deflected blame for the incident onto NYCFC head coach Nick Cushing, repeating an unverified accusation that Cushing had punched a Toronto player “in the face” nearly two months prior at Yankee Stadium.
This accusation was particularly puzzling. When questioned about a recent clash he was directly involved in, Herdman chose to bring up a far more serious, yet unsubstantiated, event that allegedly occurred weeks earlier, without providing any supporting evidence.
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This tactic proved to be a masterclass in deflection. For days, headlines across various media outlets echoed the accusation against Cushing. Despite Herdman himself being suspended by Major League Soccer, along with multiple players from both Toronto and NYCFC, for their roles in the on-field fracas, it was Cushing’s reputation that suffered most from the ensuing public discourse.
Returning to the core issue, the drone spying scandal, an investigation by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation suggests that Herdman initiated the surveillance program during his tenure as women’s team coach and continued it after taking charge of the men’s team in 2018. The CBC report cited sources describing “a culture of spying inside the organization that dates back years to when John Herdman coached the women’s national team.”
Furthermore, it appears Herdman fostered an environment of fear and pressure. A former player from the men’s national team, as quoted by the CBC, stated, “‘No’ wasn’t an option. John Herdman put his staff under a lot of pressure. If his assistants refused they were put aside.” This paints a picture of a demanding and potentially autocratic coaching style under John Herdman.
This account starkly contrasts with Herdman’s statements during a Leagues Cup press conference in August. When directly questioned about drone use or spying activities during his time with the national teams, Herdman responded at length about the importance of integrity in major sporting events like the Olympics and World Cup.
“Can you say whether or not you had knowledge of or involvement in any type of drone use or any type of spying during your time?” a journalist inquired.
Herdman’s reply, after emphasizing the significance of ethical conduct in major tournaments, was, “I’m highly confident that in my time as a head coach at an Olympic Games or World Cup, we’ve never been involved in those activities.”
This verbose denial, essentially amounting to “no,” is directly contradicted by both the CBC’s investigation and the findings of the report submitted by lawyer Sonia Regenbogen to Canada Soccer. These reports cast a serious shadow over John Herdman’s previous assertions.
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Herdman’s Silence and Canada Soccer’s Investigation
While Herdman isn’t explicitly named in the publicly released eight-page summary of what is reportedly a 400-page document, he is mentioned twice in the “Additional Notes on the Executive Summary” under the heading “John Herdman.” Firstly, it appears Regenbogen attempted to interview Herdman, but the Toronto FC coach was unavailable. Secondly, Canada Soccer has “initiated a proceeding” concerning Herdman, indicating a further investigation into his potential involvement.
After Ms. Regenbogen was contacted by Mr. Herdman’s legal counsel, he was invited through his counsel to be interviewed for the investigation. Due to scheduling issues, the parties were not able to reach a mutually agreed time to meet.Canada Soccer has initiated a proceeding with respect to Mr. Herdman under its Disciplinary Code. Given this, Mr. Herdman and Canada Soccer may engage further regarding this matter.
– Additional Notes on the Executive Summary
The inability to schedule an interview raises eyebrows. Could John Herdman genuinely not find time to speak with Regenbogen since the investigation commenced in August? With Toronto FC’s season concluding on October 5th, over six weeks prior, the lack of availability is questionable.
However, the second point might shed light on the first. The initial investigation focused on drone usage during the 2024 Olympics, not directly involving Herdman’s current role. It’s conceivable that Regenbogen lacked the authority to compel Herdman to participate in an interview related to past activities. Now, with Canada Soccer launching a separate investigation specifically targeting Herdman, the federation may have the jurisdiction to mandate his cooperation.
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Escape Clause? Herdman’s Future at Toronto FC
This all hinges on whether Herdman remains at the helm of Toronto FC. While Toronto FC operates within MLS, Canadian soccer governance falls under Canada Soccer’s purview, meaning Herdman is ultimately accountable to the federation.
This accountability structure changes if Herdman is dismissed, or if he “mutually agrees” to leave the club. Should Herdman cease coaching soccer in Canada, he would no longer be under Canada Soccer’s jurisdiction, potentially circumventing the ongoing investigation.
Such a move would also offer MLS a convenient resolution.
It would remove a charismatic yet controversial coach who, despite a missed playoff season, retains popularity within the Toronto FC locker room. MLS prefers its narratives to be the kind showcased on Apple TV – think the Drive To Survive-esque docu-series commissioned from Box to Box Films – not the messy, potentially illicit actions of a head coach embroiled in multiple scandals within a short timeframe.
Beyond the current drone scandal and the NYCFC incident, Herdman’s tenure has been marked by other controversies. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as Canada men’s team coach, his pre-match comment “We’re going to eff Croatia, that’s as simple as it gets,” made global headlines. This crass remark overshadowed the team’s performance and contributed to Canada’s early exit from the tournament without a single win.
Following the NYCFC scuffle, New York City FC requested an MLS investigation into Herdman’s accusations. The league’s subsequent ruling in June acknowledged “poor judgment and behavior contradictory to MLS values” from both teams but imposed “no additional suspensions or fines.” While Cushing was cleared of wrongdoing, Herdman’s initial, unfounded accusation continues to circulate online, damaging Cushing’s reputation.
Now, the drone spying scandal adds another layer to the controversies surrounding John Herdman. Perhaps he believed non-cooperation with Regenbogen’s investigation would allow him to evade accountability. However, it appears the clock hasn’t run out yet.
Unless Toronto FC decides to part ways with John Herdman, and he exits the Canadian soccer landscape altogether.
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