Dear Toronto FC Supporters,

I want to start by saying how incredibly honoured and excited I am to be the head coach of Toronto FC.

I have admired the passion and loyalty of the TFC supporters since the team began play in 2007. The commitment and dedication of the management team, the world-class facilities, and the support from Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment make this club a beacon for others in the league.

The league has evolved into a much stronger one today, compared to when I played in it years ago. I feel it has improved in every single facet. The majority of clubs within the MLS now have football-specific stadiums, the supporter groups are fantastic, and the media coverage around the league has increased as well. These are all key factors for the growth and improvement of the league.

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to have played for a number of great managers and coaches and I have tried to learn from each of them. I have always had a desire to become a coach.

The transition from player to coach has been an exciting one for me and I have loved every minute of it. When I decided to take over the job, the challenge was the most exciting thing for me. It’s going to take time but I am confident we are moving forward in the right direction.

At Toronto FC, I am surrounded by a great staff. The coaches bring a great deal of experience and ideas, while the soccer operations staff ensures we have everything required to do our jobs.

It has been an absolute pleasure working with so many fine people and I can assure you that we will continue to work together, everyday, to bring success to our club. Our team will match the passion and dedication of our fans each and every day.

Obviously, in order to improve, we need to take a step-by-step approach and evaluate every aspect of the club. Slowly we need to implement a change to the culture of the club.

We also need to identify the right players that will help us not only in the short term, but for the long term as well. I firmly believe slowly but surely we will make this club a real competitive force. BMO Field will be one of the most difficult places to play in the league. Our team will not quit. This is how our team will be built.

I have to compliment all of the players for their tremendous work ethic and performance thus far. Preseason is the time to get the fitness work in, while working on the shape of the team along with tactics and, of course, getting game minutes.

Our players were absolutely fantastic and did everything we asked of them to prepare both mentally and physically for this season. We were away from Toronto for a long period of time but we felt confident of our progress leading into the season.

Last weekend during our season opener in Vancouver, we performed well with many new faces in our lineup. Some of the players did not have the luxury of a preseason or being able to know many of their teammates, but the response and the performance were both important. We are only going to get better and we know that. We believe that.

On behalf of our coaches, the players, and staff of Toronto FC, we appreciate the support and loyalty of our fans. The Red Thread binds us together and together we will be successful. Enjoy the season!

All for one,

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Ryan Nelsen,

Head Coach, Toronto Football Club