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MLS commissioner Don Garber visited Cincinnati in December and said glowing things.

Koch’s scouting role, then, along with being a day-to-day assistant coach, is tremendously exciting for him. It’s about finding talent the club believes it can develop into MLS players one day.

“We’ve already scouted and signed a few players, and the ability to have a huge impact on the first team is something I’m thoroughly enjoying,” Koch said. “(The scouting role) just broadens the scope of my work. I enjoy being a head coach and I’d like to be a head coach in the future. But being in charge of scouting allows me to get in there and get a lot of work done in an area of the game I really like.”

He contributed on that front in Vancouver, too. Caps head coach Carl Robinson gave Koch plenty of credit for his pre-draft scouting when they selected centre-back Tim Parker 13th overall in 2015.

“I enjoy finding those guys, and it also gave me an appreciation for other guys in the (MLS) draft,” Koch said. “A lot of them have to go to a USL team to develop and hopefully get to the MLS, and that’s part of my job here.”

In Cincinnati, Koch will also be tasked with helping to build the academy structure. Along with head coach John Harkes, a former U.S. international midfielder, and the rest of the staff, the point is to start putting everything in place for an MLS push.

Koch said that kind of ambition, and the groundswell of fan support, made it an easy decision to take the job. He had a connection in Cincinnati in their VP of operations, Dan McNally, who was at Montana State University-Billings when Koch was at SFU.

Vancouver remains “home,” said Koch, and he’ll wave the Canadian flag in Cincinnati. He’ll miss the oceans and mountains but he’s signed up for the nomadic life.

“We’re growing and building a professional football club here, which is really exciting,” he said.

The Whitecaps have yet to announce Koch’s replacement.

mweber@postmedia.com

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