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OTTAWA -Former Portuguese international Tony Fonseca, who coached Canada's U-23 side earlier this year in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying, has been named as the federation's technical director, the Canadian Soccer Association announced Tuesday.

Fonseca, who also coached Canada during the 2009 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, will be "responsible for the overall management and direction for the technical growth and development of soccer in Canada," the federation said in a press release.

"My priority will be to maximize the largest participation sport base in Canada by identifying current strengths as well as gaps…," he said, "to ensure we are a successful soccer nation."

Fonseca began his career in the youth divisions of Benfica before moving to Canada in 1999 to play for the Vancouver 86ers. He retired in 2000, and two years later became coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps. He took over as the team's technical director in 2004.