Phoenix’s Baber learning from Rowdies’ Dalglish

Posted Mar 9, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Mar 9, 2010 at 04:55 PM

The FC Tampa Bay Rowdies partnership with the USL’s Premier Development League MPS Portland Phoenix is taking a move forward this week as Phoenix General Manager and Coach Paul Baber has joined the team to get some hands on work with Rowdies coach Paul Dalglish and the players.

Baber, who is originally from the outskirts of London, appears to be fitting in well with the group while learning how to implement the 4-2-3-1 system Dalglish will have the Rowdies playing in this season.

“The actual playing system is something that I’ve not coached before, and with any system there are little things that coaches are looking for,” Baber said. “Our PDL team will play in the same style and so it’s really important that we’re on the same page here so if there is player movement, that player can fit already into the system and understand roles and responsibilities within that system.”

Baber already knows a couple of the current Rowdies squad, midfielder Stanley Nyazamba and forward Dwight Barnett having played for the Phoenix’s previous incarnation as the Cape Cod Crusaders. Other players who came through the club include former USF and current D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins and others who have gone on to play in MLS and the USL-1.

Dalglish said the opportunity to work with Baber was one of the keys that led to the decision to have the Phoenix act as the Rowdies farm team, and he is very happy to have him with the club to absorb as much as he can before returning to Portland.

“Paul needs to know what we need here so it was really imperative for Paul to get down here and get involved, not just come and watch, get involved in the training,” Dalglish said. “He can hear what my priorities are and he can take things back with him to Portland where hopefully he can develop players for us in the future.”

Due to NCAA regulations, the Phoenix can’t officially start training until May 1, but Baber has already lined up a group of players to make up the roster for the upcoming season. The association with the Rowdies and the opportunities that might afford players should injuries hit Dalglish’s squad have been an important selling point. Baber believes it has allowed his side to bring in players that will have the ability to be Rowdies players in the future.

“This is tremendous for our players and is a terrific recruitment tool for me to have the link,” Baber said. “Now not only do players know that we can reach out to them to other clubs but we have a specific pathway for them and a specific pathway that is in a great location with a great coaching staff in an exciting new era of soccer.

“It’s been very easy for me to recruit some players this year because of the relationship just because they want to aspire to be here, they want to be the next Rowdie and there’s nothing more that I’d like to see at the end of the year if Coach Dalglish makes some changes that some of those changes involve players than have been involved with me this year.”