Former Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Neill Collins has been heavily linked with the vacant managerial position at Walsall this week.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies manager has followed a blueprint throughout his five years at Rowdies that has made them one of the best sides outside the MLS.
Here James Knowles of RBLR Sports gave us this in-depth insight into Neill Collins the manager
Toward the end of his playing career, Collins gave up the relative grey of north England for the sun and the sand of west Florida. Two full seasons playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies led into a third before it was cut short, as he was promoted to manager in 2018. That would prove to be his worst season in charge of the club before it became a power in the USL Championship.
In 2019, the Rowdies made the playoffs and lost to Louisville City, a previous and regular contender for the league title. From there, Tampa Bay became one of the strongest teams in the USL, making it all the way through the playoffs to the next Championship final, which was cancelled due to Covid-19.
2021 proved pivotal as the Rowdies again made the Championship final, beating Louisville City along the way for the second year in a row in a dramatic comeback. In the final, however, upstart and unexpected Orange County SC proved mentally stronger and won despite barely sneaking into the playoffs in the first place.
Finally, in 2022, Tampa Bay again went through the playoffs to come up against Louisville City. The rival club would prove the victor, though, going on to lose the Championship final to the Western Conference winner San Antonio FC. Despite making multiple deep runs in the playoffs, the Rowdies still do not have the silverware they’ve been after since Collins took over.
Over the course of these five years, the Scot has turned the Green and Gold into a near-champion and regular contender for the top of the table. He has built a team that any club in the American second tier would envy and has sent players into the first division both here and abroad. How did he go about that?
Collins likes to have a team that plays thoroughly modern football: possession-oriented and pressing without the ball. This has taken on a few iterations, depending on available players. But, there are always similar principles for success in his vision.
From 2020 onward, the Rowdies have most frequently played with three at the back, with wingbacks on either side of a midfield two or three. Long balls to bypass opposition lines are not infrequent, but seem to be a less ideal option generally. When possible, a Collins team will play out of the back and build that way, trying to draw in opposing pressers and then bypass them through the use of a central midfield pivot.
For all those years, that pivot has been a crucial part of this team, and Lewis Hilton has played the role to perfection. Collins brought the Englishman in for the 2020 season and his importance has never been more visible than when he’s been missing for much of 2023.
The Rowdies will try to start the ball from the back, working it to one side or the other of the defense with the wingback stepping in to help with possession. Then, when the lane opens, they will find Hilton who tries to turn and look for the opposite-side wingback in space. Outside of his trusty pivot, Collins’ wingbacks are the most important players in creating chance creation.
Many different wingbacks have shuffled through his roster; but, Collins always ends up playing a cross-heavy game. Frequently, there will be a big-body striker who can try to get on the end of the balls whipped into the box. The remaining players will be involved in the build-up as well, to the extent that they will try to make up extra numbers when in possession.
Out of possession, the Rowdies are also the picture of modernity, pressing and harrying the opposition in an attempt to win the ball in a good place. Fitness and a strong work ethic are the hallmarks of Collins’ attackers. Former French youth international Yann Ekra is the perfect example: despite being an elder statesman on the team, his work ethic – as well as his intelligence – keeps him in the game. As a midfielder, he will step up to help the attackers when a pressing motion has been triggered.
Neill Collins is an exacting manager, and you will often hear him on broadcasts yelling from the sideline over the roar of the crowd. Replacing him will be difficult for a club that has found its best success under his stewardship. He has, however, set the team up for success without him if need be.
While pursuing coaching badges back in Britain, the club have gotten by well enough on these occasions. Additionally, Collins has taken up the USL-wide mandate to integrate academy players, giving debuts to two youngsters that came from the youth setup. This is still a pretty rare thing in the lower divisions of American football.
If Walsall do sign Collins, they’ll be getting a forward thinking manager who is emotionally invested in his team, who is always trying to learn, and who is desperate to win. Getting back to more familiar surroundings might be what he wants.
But, fans in Florida will ask why he’s giving up sunshine for the west of England. Hopefully, we’ll have an answer shortly.
Everyone at Vital Walsall would like to thank James for giving us thoughts on Neill Collins
