TFC 2 coach Gianni Cimini proud of developmental record after 100 games
No less than 12 players have graduated from the Young Reds to the first team since Cimini took charge in 2022.
Five different coaches have been on the touchline for TFC 2 since their debut USL season in 2015.
But none of them have been there as long as Gianni Cimini, who became the first coach in the club’s history to reach 100 games in charge during Sunday’s 3-0 home win over New York City II. That victory pushed Cimini’s all-time record with the Young Reds to 37 wins, 43 losses, and 20 ties (shootout defeats where teams collect a single point).
Cimini, 42, took over at TFC 2 in 2022 prior to the MLS NEXT Pro's inaugural season. Since then, no less than 12 players have graduated from the reserve side to the first team, the latest being Malik Henry, who signed an MLS contract last month after only joining the Young Reds in March.
It was Henry who in a 1-1 draw away to the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 9 provided the assist on a tying goal deep into injury time by Deandre Kerr, who previously played for Cimini in TFC’s youth academy. Also in the starting 11 that day for Toronto were goalkeeper Luka Gavran and midfielder Alonso Coello, while on the bench were defender Lazar Stefanovic, fullback Kobe Franklin and goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario, all of whom spent time at TFC 2 under Cimini.
