By FRANCO PANIZO
Reaching the postseason was a good start for first-year head coach Carl Robinson, and the Vancouver Whitecaps have rewarded him for it.
The Whitecaps announced Sunday that they have re-signed Robinson to a multiyear extension. The 38-year-old Robinson led Vancouver to a fifth-place finish in the competitive Western Conference last season before falling to FC Dallas in the knockout round of the postseason.
Additionally, the Whitecaps signed assistant coaches Martyn Pert, Gordon Forrest and Marius Rovde to multiyear deals.
“In just one year, Carl and his staff have done an exceptional job in establishing a foundation, bringing in quality players and people, and taking this team to the next level,” said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi in a statement. “They are all highly respected not only within our club, but also around the league and the soccer world. We are confident that their eye for talent, dedication and hard work will continue to yield positive results.”
Under Robinson, the Whitecaps went 12-8-14 last season to hit the 50-point mark. That was the highest point total by a Canadian club in the history of MLS.
“I’m proud to be the head coach of this team and I know I speak for the rest of my staff when I say how delighted we are to re-sign with Whitecaps FC on a multiyear extension,” said Robinson, who served as a Vancouver assistant for two years before signing on as a head coach last December. “I am thankful to everyone involved — from fans, to players, to front office — for having faith in that vision, for being a part of it and for supporting it since day one.”
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What do you think of the Whitecaps’ decision to re-sign Robinson to a multiyear deal? Were you impressed with what he accomplished in his first season as a head coach? See Vancouver reaching the postseason in 2015?
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