Once a leader on the field for Toronto FC, Torsten Frings will now put those skills to the test as a coach for the first time in the German Bundesliga.
The ex-TFC captain on Tuesday was named the head coach of SV Darmstadt 98, who are enjoying their second year back in Germany's top division after 33 years away.
Making it to another season in the Bundesliga will be a tall task for Frings and his charges, however. Die Lilien currently sit dead last in the league, having lost their last eight league games. They will need to make up a five-point gap to get out of the automatic relegation places, and an eight-point gap on Werder Bremen – the club for which Frings made 326 appearances – to avoid a relegation playoff.
In facing the immense challenge at hand, Frings certainly has the support of his former MLS club:
Frings spent the entirety of his playing career up his arrival in MLS in the Bundesliga, mostly featuring for Bremen but also turning out for the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The former German international, who earned 79 caps for his country, joined Toronto FC midway through the 2011 season.
He was a regular starter for TFC in the latter half of that season and the first half of the 2012 season, earning the captain's armband and scoring two goals to go with three assists. However, he missed the final part of 2012 with a hip injury that ultimately forced him to retire from playing prior to the 2013 campaign.
