Collins Named USL Coach of the Month After Rowdies Historic Start
June 9, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
St PETERSBURG, Fla - Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins has been voted USL Championship Coach of the Month for April and May. There was little doubt Collins would pick up the award as the only coach to lead his side to a perfect start to the season, winning four out of four matches.
Collins kicked off his fourth season in charge of the Rowdies with back-to-back 3-0 wins over the Charlotte Independence and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC before knocking off the league's defending Western Conference winner Phoenix Rising FC 2-1 at Al Lang Stadium. The Rowdies then defeated in-state rival Miami FC with another 2-1 result to close out their perfect month.
This is the second time in his young coaching career that Collins has taken home Coach of the Month honors. He previously won the award in his second season at the helm in 2019. For Collins, though, the award is only possible thanks to the efforts of everyone at the club.
"It's a team award," said Collins. "I think it just comes back to everything we're about, that I accept the award on behalf of everyone at the club that worked really hard through preseason. We know we've had a good start to the season, but it's nothing more than that. It's just a little bit of recognition that we've had a nice start. We know we've got a lot to build on."
The Rowdies are off to their best start in club history with five straight victories straight out of the gate for the first time ever. As a result, they currently sit atop the Atlantic Division standings with 15 points through their first six matches. Tampa Bay's historic start is due largely to unprecedented continuity from last year's Eastern Conference title-winning squad as well as a new crop of players that have integrated quickly and made a significant impact.
"Bringing 15 guys back, it's the first time I'm really seeing the continuity and what that brings in terms of the know-how of what we want," said Collins. "Obviously, the new guys as well have really settled in well. I think they've really impacted our squad in a positive way. Conner Antley, Steevan [Dos Santos], Laurence Wyke, all the signings -- whether they've hit the field or not have impacted our locker room. I think that's why we got off to a good start."
Collins received 92 percent of the vote to take the first monthly award of the season. Rio Grande Valley FC's Wilmer Cabrera and Tacoma Defiance's Wade Webber also received four percent of the votes each.
The USL Championship's Coach of the Month award is voted upon by the USL Championship National Media Panel and the USL Championship Technical Committee, with each group responsible for 50 percent of the overall vote.
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