Toronto FC fire head coach Ryan Nelsen in major shakeup

Just one day after making comments critical of his general manager following a 3-0 home loss to the New England Revolution, Ryan Nelsen has been fired as head coach of Toronto FC.

Toronto FC confirmed Nelsen's dismissal in a press conference Sunday afternoon. Most of the coaching staff was also let go. Greg Vanney, TFC's assistant GM and longtime MLS defender, has been named as Nelsen's replacement on a permanent basis. Vanney becomes the team's ninth coach since they began in MLS in 2007.

Nelsen ripped Reds general manager Tim Bezbatchenko after the GM said the recent run of results "hasn't been good enough."

"It affected the guys," said Nelsen. "What we do at Toronto FC is we keep it in-house — everything we do, we keep inside the four walls. And the players, coaching staff, everything, stays within the four walls."

The Reds have 33 points (9-9-6) from 24 games this season which puts them in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and in line for their first playoff appearance in franchise history.

Nelsen took over at TFC at the start of 2013 and went 15-26-17 in just over a season and a half in charge.