Former Canadian men's coach Stephen Hart named interim bench boss of NSL's Halifax Tides FC

Stephen Hart, former coach of the Canadian national men's team and Halifax Wanderers of the Canadian Premier League, has been named interim coach of the Northern Super League's Halifax Tides FC.

The 65-year-old Hart succeeds Lewis Page, who has shifted roles to help establish the Tides development academy. At 1-6-1, Halifax sits in the basement of the six-team NSL after losing three straight games.

"It's an honour to step into this role," Hart said in a statement. "Our team is focused, resilient and committed to growing together both on and off the field. I'm excited to lead this next chapter and help guide the players through the remainder of the season with passion, purpose and pride."

Hart coached the Canadian men in various stints from 2006 to 2012, posting a 20-15-10 record. He resigned in October 2012 after an 8-1 loss to Honduras ended Canada's World Cup qualifying run.

After coaching his native Trinidad and Tobago, Hart took charge of the Halifax entry in the CPL for its debut season in 2019. He was fired in October 2022 after an 8-15-5 campaign.

More recently, he has served as a consultant to the NWSL's Portland Thorns.

"This is about building for the long-term success of the club," said Tides president Valerie Malone. "Strengthening our leadership structure and investing in player development, starting with the academy — are important steps in that direction. We're also continuing to reinforce the roster and look forward to sharing more on that later this week."

Halifax hosts the Calgary Wild on July 7.