Lakewood Ranch man named head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies

The Tampa Bay Rowdies, the United Soccer League team based in St. Petersburg, have named former Rowdies player Neill Collins as its head coach. 

Collins, 34, also owns and operates NC3 Soccer, a youth soccer academy in Lakewood Ranch. Collins also previously worked as a volunteer coach with the United States Paralympic National Team, and holds a UEFA A Coaching License. 

“I am excited to announce Neill Collins as the new head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies,” Rowdies chairman and CEO Bill Edwards said in a statement. “I’ve witnessed Neill’s intensity firsthand, and I know everyone in the locker room has immense respect for his ability and work ethic. He’s got the skills, the drive and the attitude to move the club to the top of the table. There are good coaches out there, but I think you can make a great coach by giving someone who already has a passion for the club a chance to lead it to victory. I have great faith in Neill. I know he intends to succeed in his new role with the Rowdies.”

Collins will coach his first game on May 19 when the Rowdies host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at 7:30 p.m. at Al Lang Stadium. 

His playing career lasted 18 years across 10 clubs, including 81 appearances with the Wolverhampton Wanderers, now of the Premier League, and 179 appearances with Sheffield United, a second-tier (Champions) club in England. Collins was playing with the Rowdies before being named coach, but will now stop playing.

"Curtailing my playing career is not an easy decision, but when an opportunity is as good as this one, it’s impossible to turn down,” Collins said in a release. “It’s a fantastic club with many fantastic people behind the scenes and an excellent playing squad. I’m excited about the challenge of taking this club to where I think it should be."