Carolina’s Martin Rennie Named Vancouver Whitecaps Coach for 2012

Martin Rennie - Photo by Jeremy Olson - www.digitalgopher.net

Carolina RailHawks head coach Martin Rennie, 36, has been named as head coach of the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps, beginning after the completion of the 2011 season.  Rennie, who is in his third season with the RailHawks, has already qualified the club for a playoff spot with almost a third of the season to go, fashioning a 14-2-3 record and a twelve point cushion at the top of the NASL table over second place Puerto Rico. Rennie will take over the coaching reins in Vancouver from Sporting Director Tom Soehn, who stepped down to the Vancouver sidelines earlier this season after the departure of Whitecaps’ coach Teitur Thordarson.

“I am delighted to have accepted this new opportunity with Vancouver Whitecaps FC,” said Rennie in a quote in the Los Angeles Times. “Vancouver has a rich soccer history, fantastic supporters, and is moving to a new state-of-the-art stadium [BC Place] in the fall.  It is a great time to be joining this dynamic and growing organization.”

Rennie is a native of Scotland whose playing career was cut short by injury.  He turned his attention to coaching, and at age 26 became one of the youngest individuals to ever earn his UEFA ‘A’ license.  He continued to study, earning other coaching licenses  through the well-regarded Scottish Football Association, and took his first coaching job with the PDL’s Cascade Surge in 2005.

Rennie has had immediate success wherever he has coached.  In his one season coaching at the PDL level, he led the Surge to a 12-2-2 record, good enough to capture the Northwest Division title, and led the club to its only US Open Cup qualification.  He next took the coaching position with the USL-2 expansion Cleveland City Stars, leading them to a runner-up position in their first year of existence before leading them to a USL-2 title in his second year with the club.  Rennie was recognized for his accomplishments in Cleveland by twice being named USL-2 Coach of the Year as he compiled a 23-5-16 mark with the City Stars.

In 2009, Rennie became the head man in Carolina and immediately raised the profile of the club.  The team had completed back-to-back 8th place finishes in USL-1 competition before Rennie arrived, but he guided them to a 16-7-7 record and the USL-1 playoffs in his first season in charge.  Rennie went about changing the club’s culture, keeping only three players from the previous season.  In 2010, Rennie led the RailHawks to a NASL Conference title in USSF D2 competition and took his club all the way to the playoff finals despite having to rebuild his backline late in the season as injuries ravaged the club’s defensive corps.

This season, the RailHawks have been a runaway success in the NASL.  After losing their opening 2011 match to the champion Puerto Rico Islanders, the RailHawks enjoyed a thirteen game unbeaten streak that included ten consecutive victories as they soared above the rest of the NASL.  Rennie’s team has been prolific in attacking, with Maltese striker Etienne Barbara dominating the league with 18 goals and 8 assists, but they are much more than a one-man team.  Carolina’s veteran midfielder Jonny Steele is second to Barbara in the league assist rankings, with 6, while forwards Pablo Campos, Nick Zimmerman and Allan Russell have added 8, 5 and 4 goals respectively. The RailHawks have scored a whopping 40 goals so far in league play, 12 more than each of the three teams tied for second in NASL goal scoring.

Rennie’s teams also play defense. Former Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Brad Knighton leads the league in GAA with an 0.86 mark and shares the NASL lead in shutouts with Joe Warren, each earning six clean sheets. The Carolina coach favors strong, physical defenders and a fluid midfield that is strong in defending as well as linkup play in his 4-3-3 system. What makes this season’s accomplishments even more amazing is that Rennie has accomplished so much despite the offseason uncertainty of USSF sanctioning for the NASL and the change in Carolina RailHawks ownership, along with the loss of several key players to the MLS. And even during this season, Rennie lost backline lynchpin and team captain Brad Rusin, who signed a three year contract with Danish Superliga club HB Koge several weeks ago.

While some Vancouver fans may bemoan the hiring of a lesser “name” coach, Whitecaps management and club supporters who’ve been around awhile already have a good idea of what Rennie brings to the table, as his Carolina squad wrestled the NASL Conference crown away from the Whitecaps late in the 2010 season. Rennie has already demonstrated a sound tactical mind, an ability to create a winning team culture, and a reputation as a players’ coach who can lift a player’s game to the point where he is sought out by higher level clubs.  He has dealt well with the inevitable adversity that knocks at any coaches’ door, and is as bright a star as any young coach in North America.  His proven ability to achieve immediate positive results will be a great tonic for the Vancouver club struggling in its inaugural season of first division play.

RailHawks President Curt Johnson spoke for the Carolina club concerning Rennie’s departure after the season. “On behalf of the entire RailHawks organization and our owners, Traffic Sports, I want to congratulate Martin,” said Johnson.  “This is a well deserved opportunity.  Vancouver is getting a talented, driven coach and someone who will represent their organization with a high level of professionalism. The RailHawks organization is in a unique position as we move toward the end of the regular season and the playoffs.  I know Martin and our players are very focused on performing at their best in this big moment. When the time comes after our season we will celebrate with Martin and wish him well.”