Dome Torrent: “I need to talk about with Manchester because this season was a tough, tough season for us.” (FrontRowSoccer.com Photo)
By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor
QUEENS, N.Y. — Has Dome Torrent coached his last game as head coach of New York City FC?
He doesn’t even know.
After NYCFC was eliminated by Toronto FC in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal by a 2-1 result, the question was asked on whether he would return to the club for 2020.
“I don’t know,” Torrent said during the post-game press conference at Citi Field. “I have to go to Manchester to talk about … because for me it is normal after the season to talk about what happened.”
NYCFC is owned by City Football Group, which also owns Manchester City of the English Premier League. That organization makes decisions on who coaches the Major League Soccer club.
“There are many, many things,” Torrent said. “You don’t know, but I know many, many things. I have to talk to the owners, the CO’s in the City Group and I don’t know what will happen. We have time. Right now, it’s October. We have time to talk about the next year.”
City captured its first conference crown this season with a sterling 18-6-10 mark, but for the fourth consecutive year, could not win a playoff series. The team has a 1-6 record while being outscored 17-5 in seven post-season matches.
When asked whether he wanted to return as coach, Torrent sounded very non-committal.
“I need to talk about with Manchester because this season was a tough, tough season for us,” he said. “Many things happened. The people don’t know that. We were able to win the Eastern Conference. We have in the middle in the budget. people don’t know that.”
Torrent sounded he would be replaced as coach by CFG.
“They are ready for another coach because they are a big group,” he said. “They are ready. Don’t worry. Patrick [Vieira] is not here. Dome is not here. Another coach. The important [thing], believe me, are the players. They keep the important players right now in our club and they are the reason why New York City plays really well. Not Dome. Forget about it. … Every single coach needs the players. I am very proud of the players. I want to thank the players. Every single day in every single training session, they fight to the last moment. I love these players. I love these players.”
Torrent is the third coach in the team’s five-year history. Jason Kreis guided the team in its inaugural 2015 campaign. Vieira took over the coaching reins in 2016 and directed the club through June 2018 before becoming coach of Nice in French Ligue 1. That’s when Torrent succeeded Vieira.
