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MLS New England Revolution

Revolution Names Former England Great Paul Mariner Assistant Coach

February 5, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


FOXBOROUGH, MA - The New England Revolution announced today the hiring of former England international Paul Mariner as assistant coach. Also joining the Revolution coaching staff as goalkeeper coach is Peter Simonini, who served in the same capacity with the Revs from 1996-98.

"I am delighted to add both Paul and Peter to the technical staff here with the Revolution," said head coach Steve Nicol. "Paul obviously brings tremendous experience and credentials to the job, and Peter is well known to New England soccer people as a guy who understands the game at every level. I know both men well and look forward to their contributions as we build toward our goal of a league title."

Born in Bolton, Lancashire, England, Paul Mariner is remembered by world soccer fans as one of the top center forwards in English football in the late 1970s and early 80s. He won 35 international caps playing for his country, and led the England attack in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. After starting his professional club career with Plymouth Argyle, Mariner scored 97 goals in eight seasons for Ipswich Town from 1976-84, before playing three seasons with Arsenal FC in London.

Mariner's many honors as a player include a 1-0 victory with Ipswich in the 1978 FA Cup final over Arsenal, a game in which Mariner was named Man of the Match. He was also a key member of the 1981 UEFA Cup-winning Ipswich Town team.

Mariner came to the United States in 1988 to coach the Albany Capitals of the APSL and has been coaching in this country ever since. Most recently, Mariner was an assistant to former Revs forward and current Harvard University head men's soccer coach John Kerr, Jr. Mariner also serves as Technical Director for the FC Greater Boston Bolts, one of the top youth soccer clubs in the U.S.

Simonini returns to the Revolution coaching staff for a second stint with the team, having previously served as the team's goalkeeper coach for the first three seasons of the club's existence. Simonini has been the head men's varsity soccer coach at Bentley College in Waltham, MA, for the past 17 seasons, where he was named the Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year four times.

Simonini has prior experience coaching with Steve Nicol at the professional level, having served as his assistant with the USL Boston Bulldogs in 2000 and 2001. A native of Billerica, MA and a 1980 graduate of Plymouth State College, Simonini played seven years of professional soccer as a goalkeeper after being a first round draft pick of the NASL New England Tea Men in 1979. In 1983, he was the MVP of the American Soccer League when he led the Jacksonville Tea Men to a championship.

Mariner and Simonini replace Matt Driver and John Murphy, both of whom made amicable departures from the Revolution coaching staff in recent weeks. Driver recently accepted an executive position with the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City and will maintain involvement in soccer through his ownership and coaching of the USL South Jersey Barons. Murphy, meanwhile, accepted an assistant coaching position with the Columbus Crew after four seasons on the Revs' staff.

The New England Revolution also today announced the signing Irish midfielder Richie Baker. Baker was signed by Major League Soccer to the Revolution as a Discovery Player and will be classified as a Transitional International. Per MLS and Revolution team policies, terms of contracts are not publicly disclosed. As a Transitional International, Baker will count against the 18-man roster but will not take up one of the Revs' three Senior International slots.

"I've visited the Boston area for the past four years in the off-season," said Baker. "I have friends and relatives here so I know the area and I'm looking forward to playing here."

"Richie's a player who has a real idea how the game is supposed to be played," said Nicol. "He's got a non-stop engine and a good touch on the ball and he'll be an asset to the club."

Baker comes to the Revolution from eircom League Premier Division club Shelbourne FC in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. He progressed rapidly from the Shelbourne Youths after joining the club from schoolboy side Stella Maris, breaking into the first team as an 18-year-old in the 1998-99 season and winning the PFAI Young Player of the Year Award. The following season, Shelbourne won the league and cup double, and Baker repeated his Young Player of the Year heroics. In six total seasons with Shelbourne, Baker scored 56 league goals and was part of three league-winning teams. He also participated in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup qualifying rounds with the club.

Baker has a great deal of experience as a Republic of Ireland youth international, having been capped 23 times at the U-18 level, five times for the U-20s and 17 times for the U-21s. He was a member of the Irish U-20 team that played in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.

The Revolution also announced they have hired a new team equipment manager, Clarence "Rusty" Wummel who most recently worked for the Chicago Fire. He replaces former Revs equipment manager Ryan Maxfield, who joined the U.S. Men's National Team program to work in a similar capacity.

The Revolution begins pre-season training at Train Boston in Wellesley, MA on February 10 and in the Gillette Stadium field house on February 18. Please contact Brad Feldman at 508-384-9216 or Katie Puzo at 508-549-0496 before attending any practice sessions, as media availability is limited.

Revolution season tickets are available now. Call 1-877-GET-REVS to purchase tickets or for more information.

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