After earning Coach of the Year honours for the second consecutive season, AFC Toronto head coach Marko Milanovic reflects on the philosophy, people and daily commitment that continue to shape his approach to the game.

There is a simple philosophy at the heart of Marko Milanovic’s approach to coaching: enjoy every day, appreciate the opportunity and always look for ways to get better.

It is a mindset that has helped shape AFC Toronto since the club’s earliest days. Now, after being named Northern Super League (NSL) Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season, Milanovic has another opportunity to reflect on what the journey has meant.

For him, however, the honour is never just about one person.

“It’s definitely an honour to be Coach of the Year, especially because it comes from people inside the league and my colleagues, the people that you’re competing with on a yearly basis,” Milanovic said. “But like most individual awards, it’s really a team award because none of that is possible without your colleagues and with all your players.”

It is a characteristically humble response from a coach who has become a constant in a rapidly evolving league. After earning the inaugural NSL Coach of the Year award following the league’s first season, Milanovic has now repeated the achievement, becoming the only head coach to remain in place since the league’s inaugural campaign.

While other clubs have experienced coaching changes, Milanovic has continued to lead AFC Toronto through the early stages of its development, helping establish a culture built on hard work, collective responsibility and a commitment to improvement.

His approach is competitive, but never at the expense of perspective.

“I remain competitive as always, striving to get better, humble because that’s the only way to really continue to grow,” he said.

The Importance of enjoying the journey
For Milanovic, coaching is about more than preparing for the next opponent or chasing the next result. It is also about appreciating the opportunity to work in football every day. 

That perspective was especially important heading into the 2026 season. After a successful inaugural campaign that ended in the disappointment of a finals loss, AFC Toronto had to take the lessons from that experience and find ways to improve.

Rather than dwelling on what had been missed, Milanovic encouraged the group to focus on what lay ahead.

“Our philosophy here is to try and enjoy every day,” he said. “We’re all very privileged and fortunate to be working in football and to do this on a daily basis. So there’s always an emphasis on that, to really enjoy ourselves and to be grateful for what we do.”

It is a philosophy that keeps the focus on the process. Results will always matter, but they are not entirely within a team's control. Preparation, effort and a willingness to learn are.

"And generally when we talk about goals, I think it’s about getting better daily, that’s the most important thing,” Milanovic said. “The results is not something you can control and you hope for the best, but it’s about getting better and doing what you can control.”

That emphasis on daily improvement has become a defining part of his leadership. Success is not treated as a destination, and setbacks are not the end of the story. Both offer opportunities to learn and move forward.

A team that grows together
AFC Toronto continues to be the youngest team in the NSL, placing player development at the centre of its identity. For Milanovic, that means creating an environment where players at different stages of their careers can learn from one another while working toward the same standards.

The addition of experienced players during the summer transfer window provided an important boost, bringing new perspectives and habits into the group.

“They’re amazing people and they’ve added so much to our environment, especially when it comes to communication and mostly on the pitch, but off the pitch as well, some of their daily routines that our young players can learn from,” he said.

Milanovic believes that experience can be valuable for everyone. Established players bring lessons from their careers, while a young squad offers its own energy and potential. His responsibility is to make sure those different experiences strengthen the group as a whole.

“There’s maybe a bit more discussion because of all of the experiences and you want to be able to learn from them as well,” he explained. “But in terms of training and then just overall our daily routine, it’s the same no matter who the player is.”

It is an approach that reflects his wider outlook on leadership. Every player has something to contribute, and everyone has room to grow.

Growing with the league
Having been part of the NSL from the beginning, Milanovic has also seen first-hand how much the league has developed in a short period.

The second season has brought a higher level of competition, more Canadian national team players returning to the domestic game and growing momentum around women's football across the country.

“I think the second season has been much more competitive overall. The league has gotten a lot better,” he said. “Every game is competitive, which makes this league so unique because there are no easy games.”

That competitiveness creates an environment in which players are challenged to improve and coaches are pushed to keep learning. For Milanovic, that is an important part of what makes the league exciting.

His position as the NSL's only remaining inaugural-season head coach offers a unique perspective on that evolution. He has seen the league take shape, witnessed its standards rise and continued to adapt alongside it.

Through those changes, his focus has remained consistent: help his players improve, build a strong team environment and make the most of the opportunity to be part of something new.

The work continues
Back-to-back Coach of the Year honours are a significant recognition of Milanovic's leadership, particularly because the award is decided by the people who coach against him and understand the demands of the league.

Yet the achievement has not changed his outlook. He remains driven to improve, committed to his players and grateful for the opportunity to do the job he loves.

For Milanovic, the best measure of success is not simply the recognition received at the end of a season. It is what happens between those moments: the work on the training pitch, the lessons learned together and the small steps that help a team move forward.

The award may mark another milestone in his coaching journey, but the philosophy behind it remains unchanged.

Enjoy every day. Stay humble. Keep getting better, together.