Kevin relief.... wait....

Jump up. Jump up. Wait for it.... and get down.



A landmark occasion for Toronto FC supporting and punning as the club concluded its seven year exhaustive search today by naming Kevin Payne as Club President and General Manager. As reported here yesterday - as well as in almost every other football medium in North America - the worst kept secret in Major League Soccer was officially unveiled this afternoon. Payne, long-time president of D.C. United, has accepted what is arguably the most challenging of roles in MLS - clearing up six seasons of absolutely wasted time and resource and finally putting the "C" in TFC.
　
After years of expecting the worse from this club, and more recently having press conferences leaving heads shaking for days, today turned out to be a surprise. A pleasant one. From the moment Emperor Palpatine Tom Anselmi stopped talking and Kevin Payne began, it was like witnessing TFC grow up before our eyes. Gone was corporate double-speak, off-the-cuff ramblings and snarky blame-gaming instead replaced by thoughtful, assured and most importantly, professional answers delivered by a man who actually looks and sounds like a leader.
　
Yes, we have all been on the TFC False Dawn train before so it is hard to give in to the positive feelings fully - but - you couldn't help feel optimistic over Payne who claimed that "this is the only job in MLS he would have left D.C. for". Expectedly, the new President and GM said all the right things about the owners and the existing staff but we were left with the feeling that fools won't be suffered gladly for long at BMO Field. Those wishing for an unrealistic massive overhaul of personnel will be left wanting and indeed things may not improve on the field immediately but for today, and for the first time since 2007, many TFC fans believe that the man in charge actually knows what he's doing. Time will tell of course, but a bit of belief is more than we've had in a very long time.
　
Now MLSE, leave the man alone to do his job. Yours truly… everyone.

Insert Payne/pain pun (here): Toronto FC to name Kevin Payne as President?

"Get out ya seat and Jump Around!"



In the world of football punnage possibilities, TFC couldn’t hire anyone better than ex DC United president Kevin Payne. And, if multiple sources are to be believed, it is exactly what the leadership-phobic club has done today.
　
Hot off the heels of Payne announcing his resignation from his long-held post with United, it now looks likely that for the first time in its history, TFC may have a club president - and with actual MLS football pedigree. In his 17 years with Capital City Capitals FC, Payne is seen as an instrumental piece in the club's sometimes dominant league standing which includes four MLS Cup titles, four MLS Supporters Shields and two U.S. Open Cup titles. While his hire will not include a guarantee of success and trophies, it may just bring TFC closer to operating like a stable football club.
　
While many will see the proposed move as "bold" (Don Garber), there is a little hand-wringing going on regarding Payne. His apparent lack of knowledge of the "Canadian soccer landscape" has been floated but this seems to be reaching for pitfalls at best. Why is it a club’s responsibility to be near-and-dear to the national program? An inherently dysfunctional one at that. Yes its apples and oranges but would a club in England or Italy be concerned if a great presidential candidate had little previous dealings with the FA or the FIGC? No, they hire the best man to make their club a success as that is their responsibility.
　
The other concern in some circles is Payne's previous working relationship with Earl Cochrane and Thomas Rongen. In most cases, a familiarity with existing staff would be considered a plus but many in Toronto do not hold Earl Cochrane in great regard so there is worry that the existing rot may be able to continue. While not a hysterical fear, it is one that will only be solved if MLSE make this a complete deal. In other words, this seems to be a solid and positive move if the owners follow up 50% of the deal - identifying and signing Payne - with the second 50% - giving the new club president the mandate, and most importantly, the power to create change.
　
For the most part Kevin Payne is a complete outsider from MLSE with about as solid a resume as was available for this role. TFC supporters have been yearning for a "football man" to lead this club from the top for a long while and on the surface, we may have been given that. Of course, with Toronto FC it is always what lurks below the surface which makes all the difference. For now, we invite the Payne.
　
ANY OFFICIAL CLUB WORD WILL BE LINKED HERE

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