While the signing of former Carolina RailHawks midfielder Matt Watson on December 16 came to pass with little fanfare, his story with Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie in second-tier North American soccer provides some insight into the Scottish coach’s influence.
Watson, 26, was planning on leaving Carolina just before Rennie arrived at the club in 2009.
“I was almost certainly going to go [to MLS] in my mind, I’d already planned on it,” Watson told MLSsoccer.com recently. “I wasn’t on much money, my wife was pregnant, and I wasn’t 100 per cent sure. But I spoke to Martin, and he told me what he thought of me as a player and said he wanted to work a little with me and do something special in Carolina.”
Special indeed. During the pair’s time together in Carolina, the RailHawks were regular-season runners-up in the United Soccer Leagues First Division in 2009, NASL Conference winners in USSF D-2 in 2010, and NASL regular-season champions in 2011.
“As I evaluated that [Carolina] squad, Matt Watson was someone who I’d coached against when he played for Richmond, who I thought was just an outstanding player,” Rennie said. “I told him that I thought he would have success in Carolina and be part of a team that would win and succeed, and that proved to be the case.”
It wasn’t only about the success the RailHawks could have. Rennie also envisioned personal success for Watson.
“I thought in a couple of years he would have better opportunities than he had at that moment and I think that’s proved correct,” Rennie continued. “He’s now at an excellent club in MLS with Vancouver and has a further chance to develop in his career, so it’s nice to see that come to fruition for him.”
A native of Redditch, England, Watson is confident that Rennie’s style of man management will be an asset for Whitecaps FC. Can it be replicated in Vancouver?
“[Rennie] has been very successful there and hopefully I’ve been a part of that, and hopefully I can do that again,” Watson said. “He always talks about a mental side of the game and positive thinking, and has an attitude that makes people want to play for him, and that’s what makes him successful.”
Whitecaps FC 2012 MLS season tickets start at $329, plus applicable tax and a $10 processing fee per order. To secure a seat and for additional information about Whitecaps FC MLS season tickets, including loge seats and suites, call 604.669.9283or visit whitecapsfc.com/protect.
Martin MacMahon covers Vancouver Whitecaps FC for MLSsoccer.com.
