TFC locker clean out day: No 'wholesale changes' to the roster, says Jason Hernandez

Toronto FC's end-of-year media availability, otherwise known as locker clean out day, has become an annual reminder of the team's futility, its shortcomings and its failures on the pitch. 

Tuesday's event was no exception after TFC ended the 2026 MLS campaign without qualifying for the playoffs, extending a post-season drought that dates back to 2020. 

"Obviously, [at this] time of year we certainly don't want to be having press conferences. We really hope that we'd still be playing; playing for something meaningful. So, just disappointed, frustrated, all of those things that unfortunately [the] teams feel this time of year when they haven't achieved their objectives. Ultimately, now [we’re] here to turn the page, focus [and are] determined on what's to come with the club," GM Jason Hernandez said. 

Locker clean out day is the last chance that TFC Republic and its media colleagues had to grill Hernandez, captain Jonathan Osorio, and several other players about the 2026 campaign and the importance of the upcoming off-season.  

Here are the main talking points and news from Tuesday's event at the BMO Training Ground in North York.  

Jason Hernandez on what went wrong this season 

Toronto FC (9-13-12, 39 points) finished 12th in the Eastern Conference for a second year in a row in 2026. TFC improved upon their 32-point and six-win totals from 2025, suggesting that some very modest progress was made.   

But those minor improvements don’t gloss over the fact that this season was an abject failure under second-year coach Robin Fraser. GM Jason Hernandez laid the brutal truth bare in explaining why the team felt short of its goal of finishing above the playoff line. 

"I think what we felt was missing, unfortunately, too often was a consistently clear version of the team in which we show up on a matchday and understand how they're being deployed, how intentional our assets are being used, and it's something that we can hang our hat on," the GM said.  

Hernandez also felt that coach Robin Fraser (who was fired on Monday) and his staff was "too often focused on the opponent and how to stop the opponent" and that TFC approached too many games "not to lose versus to win." 

It was a sentiment echoed by DP midfielder Djordje Mihailovic: "I think too much this year we are putting the majority of our focus on, 'Okay, this is what the [other] team does. What are we going to do to stop them?' Instead of, 'All right, this is what the team does. This is what we're going to do to beat them.' I think it's a certain perspective that I think was too common this year. 

"From an attacking player, I want to attack. I want the focus to be on attacking. I'm sure the fans want the focus to be on attacking and seeing attacking football out here, so I think this could be a point of emphasis in the next pre-season.” 

Hungarian winger Dániel Sallói, who scored nine MLS goals (second most on the team) in his first season with the Reds, went one step further in identifying TFC's big problem this year: A lack of a clear identity on the pitch. 

"I think that's the problem. Too many times [it felt like] we tried to switch how we want to play based on the opponent. I think we have enough talent on the team where we should really develop how we want to play and how we want to beat teams. And go into multiple games with similar game plans, so we can all be on the same page and we can all get the best version of ourselves, versus adjusting to who we're playing against and playing into their playing style," Sallói offered. 

Unable to rebound in 2nd half of year led to Fraser's exit 

TFC announced on Monday that they parted ways with coach Robin Fraser after two seasons in charge of the MLS club.  

Fraser, who turns 60 next month, was originally signed to a three-year contract prior to the 2025 MLS season. TFC will immediately begin its search for a new coach ahead of the 2027 Sprint Season which kicks off in February. 

Jason Hernandez described Fraser as "a man of high integrity" and someone who was "very well liked" within the organization. As such, the decision to relieve Fraser of his duties wasn't one that Hernandez didn't take lightly. 

Ultimately, TFC's failure to rebound in the second half of a campaign after being hit hard by injuries and struggling for results through the first few months cost Fraser his job. 

"The first part of the season [was] quite disjointed; obviously the schedule [was] a factor, but more so the player availability being a factor in the injuries," Hernandez said. 

"The second half of the season, we really were keyed in on being able to see a consistent level of performance; some of the things we wanted to see the players deliver in a repeatable way, in a way that was clear, and as the season [went on], even though we were continuing to stay in the fight, it certainly became more clear that was a challenge for Robin and the staff to be able to deliver those things.  

"Certainly, [the last game of the season in] Philadelphia was not the moment in time in which a decision was taken. As we still remained in the fight, but understood that where we were trying to go, it felt like a gap that the staff wouldn't be able to close."

As far as Fraser's replacement goes, Hernandez said the ideal coaching candidate is "a leader; a voice with energy," and someone who "from a tactical perspective will be able to deploy the team in different ways." 

No massive roster overhaul, says Hernandez 

No doubt that the debilitating injury crisis through the opening months of the season played a role in TFC failing to make the playoffs for a sixth consecutive year. But the number of crippling injuries isn’t the clothespin upon which this failed season can be hung.   

A defence that conceded a franchise-high 67 goals – 23 more goals than it coughed up in 2025 – and only registered four clean sheets didn’t help matters. Picking up only 11 points out of a possible 27 during a crucial nine-game homestand before the break for this summer’s FIFA World Cup put the Reds behind the eight ball and forced them to play catch up for the second half of the year.  

Jason Hernandez now faces a hugely important off-season. Besides hiring a new coach, he also has to address the back line and make some tough decisions on 16 players who are either out of contract, entering their option years or at the end of their loans. 

But from the sounds of it, a big overhaul of the team's underperforming roster won't happen during the off-season. 

“We've seen moments [in 2026] when we've had to reach into our depth, and some guys stand tall, and some guys have some challenging moments," Hernandez said. 

"All in all, from a roster perspective, we're certainly very happy with the big swings that we took. We feel quite strongly that these are the right guys, and I think they've shown themselves in a good way. There are different parts of the rosters that we've addressed, as far as starter-level players, players that we believe can be starters on the team, but maybe more rotational for us and depth pieces.  

"Obviously, having young prospects coming through in a real way, we feel very good about. So, I think from a roster perspective, there'll certainly be tweaks. I don't believe there'll be wholesale changes. I think over the last two windows, the winter and the summer, I think we've maybe signed 17 people. That's quite a lot in MLS. 

"I think that probably speaks to another element of why we found ourselves sometimes in maybe more difficult moments than we should have been because, in many ways, it's guys coming together and a lot of new faces building the plane as we fly, so to speak, as a team." 

Jonathan Osorio's future remains unclear 

Captain Jonathan Osorio's future remains up in the air as he is out of contract now that the 2026 season is over.  

Osorio, who turns 35 next June, said he had talks with the club about a contract extension, but those discussions halted when he suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for several games during the summer. 

"I wanted to focus on the recovery and then trying to do everything to get back in and help the team get into the playoffs and push for the playoffs. So, we kind of stopped speaking there. But now that the season is done, I expect to continue those talks with Jason [Hernandez] just to see what's the really best thing for everybody involved," Osorio revealed. 

"Ideally it would be great to stay here and to help on this project moving forward. Now I'm getting towards the end of my career, and it would be nice to end with one team. Saying that, it's football. You just don't know. That's all I can say."  

Osorio is Toronto's all-time appearances leader across all competitions (421) and is one of only three players in team history to score 70 goals (Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore are the others). He also made MLS history last month by becoming the first player to score in 14 consecutive seasons with the same club. He finished this season with one goal and five assists in 25 MLS games (24 starts) totalling 2,141 minutes. 

He was on a TAM-level contract that paid him $1,083,333 US this year. One would think that the number would have to come down, most likely below a TAM level, for a short-term extension to make sense for Toronto. 

"Ultimately, a player is in charge of his own career, and so we have to be respectful of that. I would say very simply, exploring a solution and a way in which to continue to work with Jonathan is something we want to do," Jason Hernandez said. 

Contract option, loan decisions loom large for TFC  

Eleven TFC players are now in the option years of their contracts now that the season is over, which means Jason Hernandez has a lot of important decisions to make in terms of who to bring back in 2027 and who to cut loose.   

The 11 players are defenders Richie Laryea ($1,214,438 salary in 2026), Nicksoen Gomis ($113,400), Raheem Edwards ($414,340), Jackson Gilman (salary unknown) and Zane Monlouis ($137,891); goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario ($104,638); midfielders Derrick Etienne Jr ($375,000), Markus Cimermancic ($101,881) and Malik Henry ($88,025); and forward Lewis Morgan ($1,868,508). 

Hernandez will have until Nov. 25, per the deadline set by MLS, to decide about the team's contract option players.  

Hernandez also has to decide the futures of Colombian forward Emilio Aristizábal and Chilean defender Benjamín Kuscevic. Both players are at the end of their respective season-long loan deals which included purchase options for TFC. 

And aside from Osorio, fullback Kobe Franklin and forward Jules-Anthony Vilsaint are also out of contract and need their situations resolved one way or another. 

"We have quite a few guys that are on option years that we have to make decisions on. We're going to be meeting with those guys this week to talk about their futures. … We're likely to utilize most of the time to work through some different things. Obviously, if we are to be able to get down the line with [a new coach] prior to the November 25 date, getting some input and insight certainly will be a factor. So, we're certainly not going to rush through that process; we do feel there's certain guys that have performed and done right by themselves," Hernandez said. 

The 2027 MLS Sprint Season looms large 

Toronto FC will open its 2027 MLS Sprint Season on the road against Atlanta United on Feb. 20, as unveiled by the league last month when it announced the full season schedule. 

After the Atlanta match, Toronto hosts CF Montreal on Feb. 27 at BMO Field in its home opener. Toronto closes out its Sprint Season against Inter Miami CF at BMO Field on May 8 on the final day of the campaign. 

The 2027 Sprint Season will see each of the league's 30 teams play 14 games from February to May with no inter-conference matches. Instead, clubs will face each of their 14 conference opponents once – seven matches at home and seven on the road. The top eight sides in each conference qualify for the playoffs which will be conducted in a single-elimination bracket format. The two conference champions will meet in the 2027 MLS Cup final in May. 

After the Sprint Season, the 2027-28 MLS regular season begins in July 2027 and wraps up with the MLS Cup final in May 2028. MLS will have a midwinter break from mid-December through early February, with no league matches scheduled in January. 

The landscape of the league is about to change with the Spring Season and going to a summer-to-spring schedule. But other big changes to the league could also be coming. 

"I would say not just for Toronto, obviously for 29 other clubs, it's uncharted waters. We are now going into what's going to be a very quick off-season, into a sprint season, then into a calendar change," Jason Hernandez said. 

"So, all of these things combined with some of the unknowns that you would imagine as MLS continues to work on – there's a new CBA being worked on. Does that mean new roster, salary cap, and budget guidelines, and rules around how you can build the team? So, there's a lot of variables, which I would say certainly has made getting where we want to be a challenge in the past, and it'll certainly be a lot of variables that we're all managing going forward."

Odds and ends: Free agency and Beitashour's status 

• MLS free agency begins in December. TFC signed veteran centre back Walker Zimmerman last winter, so it'll be interesting to see how active Toronto will be in this year's free agent market. TFC Republic asked Jason Hernandez how active he anticipates being in the MLS free agency market. He replied: “I think the free agency market in MLS is something that every club pays close attention to. There's always a few standouts that look to be the leaders by which clubs are going to make a play for.
  "What's often quite interesting is, unfortunately for players, there's also a moment in time where the market isn't as big as maybe they had anticipated, and so you can maybe get some players who have a good experience and a good level, maybe at a bit of a depressed cost. And so, it's something we're going to monitor quite closely; not [really] too dissimilar from the other [MLS player] mechanisms that we're going to monitor throughout the year.”  
• In addition to Robin Fraser, his assistants Neil Emblen, Wolde Harris and Jase Kim were also let go on Monday. In a brief one-on-one chat with TFC Republic after Tuesday's event, Hernandez confirmed that assistant coach Steven Beitashour and goalkeeper coach Simon Eaddy have remained with the team for the time being. 
• Captain Jonathan Osorio was one of four TFC players made available to the media on Tuesday – designated players Josh Sargent and Djordje Mihailovic, and Dániel Sallói also faced questions. Osorio, Mihailovic, Richie Laryea, Luka Gavran and Alonso Coello spoke to reporters last year. Laryea wasn't available to speak on Tuesday – he's away with the Canadian national team, alongside Theo Corbeanu and Richard Chukwu. Former coach Robin Fraser wasn't made available to the media.

Important off-season dates to remember   

Aside from the Nov. 25 league deadline to decide on contract options for some players, there is a full calendar of off-season roster building events that Toronto FC could use to strengthen its squad ahead of the 2027 Sprint Season. 

The MLS re-entry process kicks off on Dec. 21 with stage 1, while stage 2 is on Dec. 30. Essentially, this applies to MLS players who are out of contract (or had their option declined) but are not eligible for free agency.   

The 2027 MLS SuperDraft will be held on Dec. 21 and consists of three rounds.

The end-of-year waivers process also begins on Dec. 21 and concludes on Dec. 23. The waiver process pertains to players whose options were not exercised and who are not eligible for free agency or the re-entry process. 

MLS free agency begins on Dec. 22. Free agency eligible players are out-of-contract and option-declined players who are at least 24 years old and who have completed a minimum of four years of service in MLS.  

For more details on the important off-season dates, CLICK on the below link: 

TFC Tidbits: Important off-season dates for the Reds

MLS on Monday announced the full calendar of off-season roster building events that Toronto FC could use to strengthen its squad ahead of the 2027 Sprint Season.

TFC REPUBLICJohn Molinaro