John Herdman keeping busy while he looks for next coaching job
John Herdman has been busy since stepping down as Toronto FC coach on Nov. 29.
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He has been involved with daughter Lilly's under-14 soccer team, spent time working on an high-performance app called 'Live to Win' as well as mentoring coaches and doing some World Cup-related work for Sky Sports in England.
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Herdman, who turns 50 next month, is also looking for his next coaching job but says the time and position have to be right.
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'There's been a lot of opportunities over the last seven months,' he said in an interview. 'But I made a commitment to (wife) Clare that we just be patient, (that) we look and pick the right opportunity. There's been some good ones, but location, timing, just weren't right.'
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He says the interest has been global, including club and international opportunities in Europe.
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'I think we're open-minded,' he said. 'I wanted this time to just reset, and again put some energy into my family, put some energy into some other things and just breathe. And then be ready to see what is the best opportunity. I think there were some good opportunities but the timing just didn't feel right. It felt like I was rushing into things at a time that I needed just to take some time.'
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'When it comes, it could be the U.K., could be Europe, could be North America — men's, women's, international, club,' he added. 'We're looking at all the opportunities at the moment.'
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Herdman recently talked to Plymouth Argyle, a team in England's third tier. The job went to 35-year-old Tom Cleverley, the former Manchester United, Everton and Watford midfielder who was fired as Watford coach last month after a 14th-place finish in the second-tier Championship.
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Herdman is headed back to the United Kingdom this week and plans to talk to another club, as well as catch up with Dan Ashworth, chief football officer of England's Football Association.
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'I'm not out of the game, that's for sure,' he said. 'I'm looking and I'm speaking to different people. You just have to get the right (job). That's what I've learned. At my age now … I think I know myself. I've had some good experiences. I know what the right opportunity can look like, something that's transformative.'
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'I've been busy as hell, to be honest,' Herdman said with a chuckle. 'I've just treated it like I'm still at work. Just getting up and really smashing every day. I've enjoyed it, really enjoyed it. Even though it hasn't been football per se, I've stayed bloody busy.'
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Herdman, an accomplished public speaker, estimates he has done some 200 corporate talks over the last 13 years. His app, which should be out later this summer, allows him to house such content while creating a leadership training program on 'how to unlock potential.'
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