Former MLS defender Tim Regan’s professional playing career just ended last season but he has already found his next career path.
Toronto FC is set to hire Regan as its first technical director to a head scouting role, a source with knowledge of the hiring process told SBI on Wednesday. Regan and Toronto FC are still in contract talks, and a working title for the position has yet to be agreed to, but Regan is expect to be put in charge of scouting for the United States and South America in what is the first step toward the club’s establishment of a European-style scouting department.
Regan had been in talks with Toronto FC about a technical director position but TFC officials determined that a technical director position was not needed with Director of Soccer Mo Johnston already in place. That lead to new discussion of a different title that will still have many of the same responsibilities of a standard technical director.
Regan, 26, spent five seasons in MLS, playing for the MetroStars and Chivas USA before returning to play for the Red Bulls. He has close ties to Toronto FC director of soccer Mo Johnston, who coached Regan as an assistant from 2003 to 2005.
Regan played a total of 80 games over five seasons and left the league as one of the most well-liked players to pass through MLS. Toronto FC will be banking on his knowledge of the league and of the college game to help assist Johnston in building Toronto FC into a winner.
A Bradley University product, Regan enjoyed his best season as a player in 2006, when he started 30 games for Chivas USA under head coach Bob Bradley, the same coach who drafted him and coached him for three seasons with the MetroStars.
After being let go by the Red Bulls last season, Regan moved to North Carolina to pursue a graduate degree.