Forge FC rewards coach Bobby Smyrniotis with new contract and expanded role

Forge FC has rewarded Bobby Smyrniotis with a four-year contract extension in an expanded role as head coach and sporting director.

Smyrniotis was named the Canadian Premier League team's first-ever technical director and head coach on Oct. 1, 2018.

Since then, the Hamilton-based franchise won the CPL championship in 2019, '20 and '22 and was runner-up to Pacific FC in 2021. Forge was the first CPL team to reach the Canadian Championship final in 2020 and the CONCACAF League semifinal in 2021, and became the first CPL team to compete in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2022.

"Bobby has established himself as one of the brightest tactical minds in CONCACAF soccer over the last four years and what he has accomplished in the CPL since its inception has been phenomenal," said Scott Mitchell, managing partner and CEO of Hamilton Sports Group, which owns Forge and the CFL's Tiger-Cats.

Monday's announcement comes some three weeks after Costa Smyrniotis left his post as Forge's director of football and business to become the CPL's executive vice-president, soccer.

The Smyrniotis brothers built Forge from the ground up.

The brothers also founded Sigma FC, a renowned academy that has served as a pipeline for such Canadian talent as Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan, Richie Laryea and Kyle Bekker.

"I am excited and grateful to the Hamilton Sports Group for giving me this opportunity," Bobby Smyrniotis said in a statement. "The passion and support of our fans is second to none and I am looking forward to carrying on the pride of Hamilton and continuing to build on the winning culture we have set as a club."