Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Neill Collins Voted USL Championship Coach of the Month

When the Tampa Bay Rowdies appointed Neill Collins as Head Coach in May 2018, it was a step he felt prepared for.

Four-plus years on, and now as the second-longest tenured coach in the league behind only Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s Bob Lilley, Collins still believes he’s learning.

“I’ve gained so much experience,” Collins said this week. “Every game, every training session, every up and down, hopefully it all makes you better if you reflect on it. That’s what we’ve tried to do as an organization, improve every year on the field. We look at every part of how we prepare to be on the field. There’s a lot of learning still to be done.

“You speak to coaches that have been doing it 20, 30 years and I think you feel that you never get there fully, but you strive to get there and that’s what we’re doing. It’s gone by quickly and I’ve enjoyed it, but obviously lots to work towards.”

On Thursday, the 38-year-old added another accolade to his individual accomplishments at the helm of Tampa Bay, being named the Championship’s Coach of the Month for July. Leading the Rowdies to a perfect five-game run through the month – and extending their current undefeated streak to 13 games, including 11 wins – the native of Scotland has led the two-time defending Eastern Conference title holder back into a battle for first place in the Championship’s Eastern Conference.

The Rowdies have not lost since late April, and the club’s attack sits second in the league with 48 goals despite changes that have come about since last year’s outstanding campaign. Veteran Leo Fernandes – who is on course to make his 150th regular season appearance in the Championship this weekend – leads the team with 12 goals, putting himself into the conversation for Most Valuable Player, while New York Red Bulls loanee Jake LaCava has broken through with 10 goals and Cape Verde veteran Steevan Dos Santos has shaken off early-season injury to record five goals in the past four games.

While some of the faces may be new this season – alongside LaCava, there’s the likes of goalkeeper CJ Cochran, defender Thomas Vancaeyezeele, and recent midfield arrival Nicky Law – the standards and buy-in from the squad have remained the same.

“All the players should take credit,” said Collins. “The guys that have been here are fantastic at setting the standards and maintaining the standards, but then the guys coming in always add something new. Look at…