Mauro Eustáquio was announced as the new head coach of Canadian Premier League club York United Thursday.
The 31-year-old brother of current Canadian international Stephen Eustáquio replaces Benjamín Mora who left the club to at the end of the 2024 season.
Eustáquio has served as an assistant coach for York United for two years, performing interim head coach duties for two games at the start of last season. He will be York United’s fourth permanent manager heading into the club’s sixth season, following Jim Brennan, Martin Nash and Mora.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity and thankful to the ownership for their support,” said Eustáquio via a club statement Thursday. “This club means a lot to me, it’s close to my heart and I’m committed to delivering an extremely competitive team.
“The hard work doesn’t start now. The hard work continues. I’m a person who believes strongly in dedication and focus and that discipline has always been a large part of who I am. We can achieve great things together and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
York United’s hoping investments will lead to success
York United finished the 2024 Canadian Premier League season in fourth place, reaching the quarterfinal stage of the 2024 CPL playoffs. The north Toronto club was eliminated by Atletico Ottawa in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw.
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Overall, the north Toronto club has struggled to gain a foothold in the Canadian soccer landscape since its launch in 2019. Probably most notable are its low home match attendance numbers. While attendances improved slightly last season, the 1,500 average fan turnout fell well below the league average of nearly 4,000.
But this has not stopped club owners from investing in the club. Just this month the club, owned by Mexican-based Game Plan Sports Group, announced the formation of York United FC Academy, which will play in League1 Ontario Championship.
York United (green/blue) beats Atlético Ottawa 1-0 in Canadian Premier League action at York Lions Stadium in Toronto Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. Photo: Indi Kumala/Total Soccer News
And York United president Ricardo Pasquel hopes Eustáquio’s appointment will further improve his club’s stability heading into 2025.
“From the first moment we met Mauro, we knew he was somebody we wanted at this club for a long time,” said Pasquel Thursday. “He is an extremely impressive coach, with all the ingredients required to be successful. Our commitment is to developing Canadian talent and that doesn’t just mean players.
“We’ve already seen how impressively Mauro has dealt with the demands of stepping into the Head Coach role and he’s ready for this next step. We believe in him and look forward to what this team can deliver in 2025 and beyond.”
