Friday Morning, the Vancouver Whitecaps official announced the “global search” for a sporting director to oversee the “technical side” of the club, while also announcing the transition of former president Bobby Lenarduzzi to the new role of club liaison. While rumblings of this kind of search had been swirling in the back channels for months, the club decided to make it official this week, no doubt in an attempt to preserve season ticket sales and increase optimism about the club’s future going forward into 2020. In an official statement which preceded the press conference, the Whitecaps explained the nature of the shift in club structuring:
“Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Friday that the club has opened an extensive global search to hire a sporting director who will lead the technical direction of the club at all levels.