The Canadian Soccer Association has named a new head coach for the Canada Men’s National Team as the federation enters a new era.
The CSA announced that Octavio Zambrano would be taking over the head coach role for the CANMNT, taking over an integrated program from the U-14 age level to the senior team. The former New York MetroStars and LA Galaxy head coach takes over after departing from his most recent role as manager, sporting director, and technical director of Ecuadorian Serie A team El Nacional in 2016.
“We are very excited to welcome Octavio to Canada Soccer after our extensive search for a new Head Coach to lead our program into the next cycle of FIFA World Cup™ Qualifiers,” said CSA president Victor Montagliani . “Canada deserves to have its Men’s National Team Program perform on a consistent basis and Octavio’s experience within professional club and academy settings around the world will allow him to lead program alignment and solidify the second pillar of our Leading a Soccer Nation plan: consistent, world-class performances by our National Teams.”
Zambrano has a storied history in MLS, joining the Galaxy as an assistant coach in 1996 before taking over the full head coach role from 1997-1999. Afterwards, Zambrano joined the MetroStars in the same role from 200-2002, ultimately compiling the second-best winning percentage in league history at 58.7%, behind only Bruce Arena’s 60.4%. Zambrano most recently worked in MLS with Sporting Kansas City as the team’s head assistant coach from 2009-2011. He has also coached Tiligul-Tiras Tiraspol in Moldova, FC Tatabanya in Hungary, and Deportivo Pereira in Colombia during his long career.
The CSA also announced that Javier Livia has joined as an assistant coach, Norberto Salamanca has joined as the team’s physical preparation coach, and current coach Michael Findlay will remain with the team as an assistant coach as well.
Zambrano’s first match in charge will take place on June 13th in Montreal as the CANMNT taks on Curacao as a warm-up to this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Good luck. I have many friends from up north and they are long suffering football fans, waiting more than 30 years to go back to the WC. IMO, they should try to go young and fast and use the next five years to gain experience and confidence. It might not be realistic for Canada to qualify in 2022. I think the best they can hope for is to get to the Hex (assuming we will still have one).