Teitur Thordarson, coach of MLS expansion franchise Vancouver Whitecaps, would have liked more security than the one-year contract he was given by his employers but understands that's the reality of the pro game.

A longer term contract "would have given me and my wife more security but I'm used to the pressure of having to perform all the time," Thordarson said. "Even if you sign a two-or three-year deal, you know it's based on results. If you don't do well, they will look for somebody else. ... We have moved 29 times [since 1976] so we have a certain kind of training in that."

The 59-year-old enters his fourth season at the helm of a Vancouver club that is used to winning at the second tier of North American soccer. He guided his team to a championship in 2008, a championship final appearance in 2009 and a semifinal appearance last year. Now in the top tier in MLS expectations are high for his team to at least be competitive in year one.

Thordarson's extensive coaching background includes a four-year stint as head coach of the Estonian national team, which rose from 145th to 68th in FIFA's world rankings under Thordarson's watch. He was a talented striker and his playing career began in his native Iceland before he joined clubs in Sweden, France and Switzerland. His coaching career included stops in Sweden, Norway, Estonia and Iceland before landing in Vancouver.