As the minutes ticked away in the final match of Toronto FC’s season, few people in the stands seemed concerned with the team’s performance. Instead, they eagerly awaited Inter Miami CF’s legendary forward Lionel Messi, for whom they’d pay a premium price to watch. 

When he stepped onto the field to rapturous applause, ‘The Reds’ suddenly became strangers in their own home, as their fans momentarily switched allegiance to cheer on arguably the greatest soccer player of all time. 

This moment seemed to underscore just how far Toronto FC’s form has declined in recent years, leading many casual fans to lose interest. They haven’t qualified for the playoffs since 2020, and they won just four games in 2023, losing 15 of their final 16 matches. 

The 2024 season held much promise for the team, with John Herdman stepping in as Head Coach after his success with Canada men’s and women’s national soccer teams. His 3-4-2-1 formation made an instant impact, allowing wing-back Federico Bernardeschi to thrive as a two-way player and nearly doubling the team’s goal tally from 26 in 2023 to 40 in 2024. 

However, it seemed that every step forward was two steps back. 

Lorenzo Insigne, one of the league’s highest-paid players, managed just four goals while logging only 1,350 minutes all season. Any playoff hopes were dashed by inconsistency, including a six-game losing streak in June and early July and the team failing to win their final five matches. 

Still, the team showed progress, finishing in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and gaining confidence in building around reliable players like Bernardeschi, Matty Longstaff, and Raoul Petretta. It wasn’t franchise-altering yet, but the foundation was set. 

Then John Herdman resigned in November 2024, amid the drone scandal that emerged during the Paris 2024 Olympics, involving the Canadian women’s team and later extending to the men’s team’s staff using drones to illegally spy on opponents’ training sessions — both of which he had coached. Although Toronto FC did not provide any official reasons for Herdman’s resignation, an independent review stated that it had “initiated a proceeding” with him. 

Just like that, one of the best football coaches in North America was gone and Robin Fraser was appointed as his replacement. Unlike the high-profile hires of Herdman or 2021–2023 coach Bob Bradley, Fraser is a more low-key choice with less name value outside of the MLS, but his résumé offers promise. 

He knows the club from his stint as an assistant coach during their MLS Cup victory and has valuable experience rebuilding teams from his time with the Colorado Rapids. Furthermore, Fraser’s preference for a 5-3-2 formation, similar to Herdman’s system, should ease any growing pains between him and the team while focusing on getting the best out of Bernardeschi as a wing-back. 

However, his tenure with the Rapids grew stale. He was sacked in September 2023 with the team at the bottom of their conference: a fall from grace after leading them to the top of the division two years earlier. 

Although this firing is concerning, Fraser will be given time to implement his vision in Toronto. However, with ‘The Red’s’ steady improvement last season, expectations for a playoff push will be high. 

Fraser isn’t the only one with something to prove in Toronto. Insigne, who has underperformed since arriving in the GTA, faces a crucial period with the club. Rumours of a transfer have followed him since he signed, but his performance has done little to silence them. He missed 26 MLS games due to injury and failed to score in the final 13 matches last season. 

Although reports suggested that Insigne and the club were working toward a contract termination, he travelled with the squad for pre-season training in Marbella, Spain. While this doesn’t guarantee his stay, it does indicate that both sides are willing to work together for now. Given his recent injury troubles and form struggles, he may not be a guaranteed starter. 

To support the new manager, a few new signings should spark interest, with some promising additions. 

Theo Corbeanu has joined on loan from Granada in Spain’s second tier. While his return of just eight goals in 98 professional games may not impress, he is a former Canadian Soccer Youth Player of the Year, and has represented the national team, hinting at immense untapped potential. Given Toronto’s improvement in front of goal last season, the service Corbeanu will receive could help reignite his career. 

Ultimately, any hope of contention for the MLS Cup remains a pipe dream for Toronto FC. To me, their ceiling seems to be as a gatecrasher, pushing into the lower playoff positions, with their floor being closer to the bottom of the conference — something that won’t be helped by a new manager. That being said, even continuity from last season’s team that showed significant signs of improvement means this team should be competitive, with or without Insigne.