Ali Curtis is out as general manager of Toronto’s Major League Soccer team after three seasons.
The team announced his departure Monday, four months after Toronto FC fired Chris Armas, the coach Curtis brought with him from the New York Red Bulls. Toronto finished its season on Sunday with a 1-0 loss to Montreal in the Canadian Championship.
“During the pandemic, my family moved back to the United States,” Curtis said in a statement. “After three years with Toronto FC, I am looking forward to reuniting with my wife and kids, and I am excited to take on a new professional challenge.”
Curtis, who turns 43 next month, worked for MLS for eight years and replaced Andy Roxburgh as the Red Bulls’ sporting director in December 2015. He left in February 2017 and was hired by Toronto in January 2019 to replace Tim Bezbatchenko, who left to become Columbus Crew president.
Armas, a former U.S. national team player, was a Red Bulls assistant coach from 2015 until he became head coach in July 2018, when Jesse Marsch left for Germany’s RB Leipzig.
Toronto reached the 2019 MLS final, losing to Seattle 3-1. It had the second-best regular-season record in 2020 before losing to Nashville in the playoffs. It finished 13th among 14 teams in the Eastern Conference this year, winning six, losing 18 and drawing 10.
Armas was hired ahead of the 2021 season and was fired in July after one win, eight losses and two draws. Javier Perez took over as interim coach.
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