Toronto, ON (Jan. 7, 2025) – Inter Toronto Football Club announced today the appointment of John Yacou as Head Coach of two Pathway teams as well as Assistant Coach with the First Team under Head Coach Mauro Eustáquio’s staff. His addition further strengthens alignment and collaboration across the Inter Toronto Pathway.
Yacou arrives in Toronto with a proven record of success and leadership within the Canadian soccer landscape. Over three seasons with Scrosoppi Football Club, he led senior teams across League1 Ontario, compiling 71 wins in 103 matches and capturing three major trophies. During that span, his teams won the Men’s Premier Championship in both 2023 and 2024, followed by the Men’s League1 Cup in 2025. He also guided Scrosoppi FC to the 2025 League1 Ontario Women’s Championship, securing promotion and further highlighting his ability to lead high-performing programs across environments.
His work earned him multiple individual honours, including the 2024 Men’s Premier Division Coach of the Year after a title-winning campaign and the 2025 League1 Ontario Women’s Championship Coach of the Year following a promotion-winning season.
In addition to his success on the touchline, Yacou served as Scrosoppi FC’s Director of Coach and Player Development, underscoring his long-standing commitment to building programs and developing young players. His previous experience also includes a League1 silver medal and Coach of the Year recognition with Oakville Blue Devils in 2019, as well as a League1 Women’s Cup gold medal with North Mississauga in 2016.
Reflecting on his coaching journey, Yacou highlighted how his early years in youth football and his time in League One shaped his approach and values as a coach.
“I’ve been coaching for about 15 years now,” said Yacou. “I started in youth football and slowly worked my way up. League One played a big role in shaping me as a coach and as a person. I was surrounded by great people and excellent players, and that helped me achieve what I did and win championships. I’ll always be grateful for that.”
As his career progressed, Yacou felt it was time to challenge himself in a fully professional environment and take the next step in his development.
“I always felt I needed to be in professional environments,” he said. “My time in League One prepared me for that. I learned a lot, I grew a lot, and I felt it was the right time to make a change and take the next step.”
Beyond results and titles, Yacou pointed to the people behind the project as the defining factor in his decision to join Inter Toronto.
“For me, it was all about the people involved,” he said. “From ownership to the technical staff, communication was easy and genuine. The biggest sell for me was the group I was going to work with and the shared vision of what this project can become. You come in, do the work properly, and the future takes care of itself.”
With that vision in mind, Yacou now turns his focus to building the foundation of the Inter Toronto Pathway Academy as Head Coach of two teams, plus Assistant Coach for the First Team.
“We all need to be on the same page in terms of identity and playing style,” Yacou said. “The goal is to prepare players as best as we can and push them forward. The end goal for every coach and every player here is to earn an opportunity with the first team.”
Yacou emphasized that collaboration across the pathway is central to the club’s vision and daily operations.
“The way I see it working is constant communication between Marco, Mauro and myself,” he added. “We’re impacting every team together, sharing expectations and helping players understand what it takes. The opportunities will be there. It’s up to the players to take them and run with them.”
For Yacou, the project also represents an important opportunity for young players in the city.
“I think it’s amazing to see another club creating professional opportunities for youth in Toronto,” he said. “This program gives young players a real chance to grow, develop and chase their goal of becoming professionals.”
Under Yacou’s leadership, the two programs will serve as a critical entry point into the Inter Toronto Pathway, where young players are introduced to clear standards, daily professionalism and a direct connection to the first team environment as they progress through the system.
