Chris Cummins (football coach)

Chris Cummins
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-10-18) 18 October 1971
Place of birth Watford, England
Teams managed
Years Team
1996–2007 Watford Academy (Director of Youth Football)
2007–2008 Luton Town (Director of Youth Football)
2009 Toronto FC (Interim Head Coach)
2011–2013 Reading (Development Coach)

Chris Cummins (born 17 February 1972 in Watford) is an English football coach who was most recently employed by Reading as a development coach.

Youth development

Cummins began his professional career in 1996 with Watford as the youth development coordinator. Hired at Watford by former England manager, Graham Taylor, he was later promoted to Watford's assistant academy manager in 1998 and went on to become director of youth – youth and reserve team. He left Watford in January 2007 and as one of the longest-serving members of staff.[1]

One of Cummins greatest achievements at Watford was the development of forward Ashley Young.[2] Young played under Cummins from the age of ten, and in January 2007, Young was sold to Premiership side Aston Villa for £9.6 million,[3] Watford's record transfer fee.[4]

Cummins joined Luton Town in July 2007,[5] as Director of Youth Football and spent eight months there before accepting an offer from Toronto FC. In April 2011, Cummins took up a full time coaching role for Reading as their development coach, tasked with developing the younger members of the squad while managing the 'Reading XI' youth/reserve team.[6][7] He left Reading in May 2013 after the club decided not to renew his contract.[8]

Managerial career

Toronto FC

On 9 May 2008, he joined Toronto FC as First Assistant to then Manager John Carver.[9] He was officially named Interim Head Coach on 29 April 2009 following Carver's resignation. He won the Canadian Soccer Championship's Voyageurs Cup in 2009 (Toronto's first honour) in a 6–1 victory over Montreal, beating Vancouver by one goal in goal differential.[10] He left the club after the 2009 MLS Season since his wife and children were not able to get working visas in Canada, and moved back to the UK.

In his first extensive interview since leaving Toronto FC, Cummins was quoted as saying, "In every club I've been at, you need to look up top, and you need to ask advice and get their help at times and, I don't think I got that"[11] He went on to say "Johnston interfered with the lineup selection for game days, favouring a three-man defensive unit instead of Cummins' preferred four-man formation. Additionally, he often waited until late in the week to have these discussions with the coach. "I'd go out there 30, 40 minutes late for a training session because we were arguing about the team," and he said there was a division that season between the club's Canadian and American players, although Johnston disavowed any such knowledge at the end of the season. As well, Cummins said players held their tongues around Johnston. "The players won't say what they feel when Mo's around," and he went on to say "assistant coach Nick Dasovic was told he was going to be named Carver's replacement before the official announcement made Cummins the interim boss. Cummins said MLSE chairman and part owner Larry Tanenbaum made a phone call wishing Dasovic well for becoming the first Canadian coach in Major League Soccer" (although Frank Yallop has coached American MLS sides).

Managerial stats

Team From To Record
GWLDWin %
Toronto FC 29 April 2009 24 October 2009 311211838.71

Honours

Toronto FC

References

  1. ↑ "Two senior staff leave Hornets". Watford Observer. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  2. ↑ "Former Watford Academy coach Chris Cummins named Toronto FC head coach". Watford Observer. Retrieved 1 May 2009.
  3. ↑ "Young completes £9.65m Villa move". BBC Sport. 23 January 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  4. ↑ "Watford FC Club Records". WatfordFC.com. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  5. ↑ "Hatters sign Currie from Ipswich". BBC Sport. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  6. ↑ "Ashley Young reveals how Chris Cummins turned his career around". Sunday Mercury. 8 May 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  7. ↑ "Cummins pleased after 5–1 victory". Reading F.C. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "Best wishes to Chris". Reading F.C. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Toronto FC names Cummins assistant coach". CBC. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  10. ↑ "Cummins is interim coach of Toronto FC". The Associated Press. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  11. ↑ http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=2953874

External links

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