Martin Rennie
Encyclopedia
Martin Rennie is a Scottish
soccer coach and is currently the head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer
. He was signed to a multi-year contract by Vancouver on 9 August 2011.
, but his professional playing career was cut short due to a cruciate ligament injury to his right knee.
Once Rennie decided to focus his attention on coaching he quickly rose through the coaching ranks and attained his UEFA ‘A’ License at the age of 26 making him one of the youngest candidates ever to receive this award. He then went on to gain his Youth License, and numerous other coaching and management qualifications through the highly regarded Scottish Football Association. Rennie studied for his coaching qualifications at the same institute as some of the most successful coaches in world football including Sir Alex Ferguson
, Jose Mourinho
and David Moyes
.
in Oregon, USA. He took the Premier Development League team to levels of success that the franchise had never seen before and has never experienced since. In his one and only season in charge Rennie led the Surge to the North West Division Title, West Coast Championship Final, US Open Cup Qualification and the Fair Play Award. In a season where the team only lost two games it also scored more goals than any other team at that level of soccer in the country.
. In the clubs first year in existence the levels of performance and the results recorded were nothing short of remarkable. The Cleveland City stars only lost one game in the entire regular season and drew admiration from all quarters of the US Professional soccer fraternity. Rennie won the coach of the year award in a season where the team only lost 13 goals in the entire season. This total represents a United Soccer League record that has never been bettered in more than 25 years of competition. The team finished its first season in existence as the runners up in the USL Second Division
.
The only way that Rennie could build on the success of 2007 would be to win the 2008 Championship and that is exactly what the Cleveland City Stars Achieved with a 2–1 victory over the Charlotte Eagles
in front of a sold out crowd at Krenzler Stadium in Cleveland and live to a TV audience throughout the United States. Again Rennie’s work was recognized in the shape of the coach of the year award. What made the Championship winning success even more impressive was the fact that many of the top young players that Rennie had recruited and coached in 2007 were transferred to professional teams at a higher level before the 2008 season began. Once again at the end of the 2008 season many of the most talented players were recruited by MLS and European teams.
was too much to for Rennie to resist. With the Carolina RailHawks he inherited a team that had only made the playoffs once in the history of the Franchise and had never finished above eighth place in a regular season campaign. Rennie decided to completely clean house and only kept 3 players from the previous RailHawks roster. He then completely changed the team culture and environment, introducing psychological, tactical and physical concepts that had never been implemented at this level before. The results were astonishing. In 2009 the team missed out on the regular season title by only 2 points finishing runners up to Portland who recorded one of the best regular season records in the 25 year history of the USL. Rennie was finalist for the coach of the year award and his team was recognized for the incredible turnaround that had taken place in just one season.
In 2010 the RailHawks established themselves as arguably the premier team in US Soccer outside of the MLS
. The RailHawks won the NASL
league title and continued their success all the way into the post season with a run to the Championship final. For a team that had never even scored a playoff goal far less recorded a playoff win throughout the history of the franchise this was an even more impressive achievement. For the fourth year in a row Rennie was recognized as a finalist for the Coach of the Year Award, a feat that has never been achieved before at this level of professional soccer. The RailHawks also broke every franchise record in the book for a single season including conceding only 14 goals and scoring 54.
Rennie attributes much of his coaching success to the leadership and psychological lessons he learned during a hugely successful career in the corporate world as well as the invaluable support he has had from assistant coaches Brian Irvine
and Paul Ritchie, both former Scotland national football team
players.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
soccer coach and is currently the head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. He was signed to a multi-year contract by Vancouver on 9 August 2011.
Coaching career
Rennie played in the United States and in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, but his professional playing career was cut short due to a cruciate ligament injury to his right knee.
Once Rennie decided to focus his attention on coaching he quickly rose through the coaching ranks and attained his UEFA ‘A’ License at the age of 26 making him one of the youngest candidates ever to receive this award. He then went on to gain his Youth License, and numerous other coaching and management qualifications through the highly regarded Scottish Football Association. Rennie studied for his coaching qualifications at the same institute as some of the most successful coaches in world football including Sir Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
, Jose Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
and David Moyes
David Moyes
David William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...
.
Cascade Surge
He began his Head Coaching career in 2005 with the Cascade SurgeCascade Surge
Cascade Surge was an American soccer team based in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1995, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team played its home games...
in Oregon, USA. He took the Premier Development League team to levels of success that the franchise had never seen before and has never experienced since. In his one and only season in charge Rennie led the Surge to the North West Division Title, West Coast Championship Final, US Open Cup Qualification and the Fair Play Award. In a season where the team only lost two games it also scored more goals than any other team at that level of soccer in the country.
Cleveland City Stars
Following this immediate success Rennie had numerous coaching offers, particularly in the United States. Following some further coaching and psychology studies in Scotland and England he decided to accept an invitation to become the Head Coach of an expansion team in Ohio called the Cleveland City StarsCleveland City Stars
Cleveland City Stars was an American professional soccer team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Founded in 2006, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until 2009...
. In the clubs first year in existence the levels of performance and the results recorded were nothing short of remarkable. The Cleveland City stars only lost one game in the entire regular season and drew admiration from all quarters of the US Professional soccer fraternity. Rennie won the coach of the year award in a season where the team only lost 13 goals in the entire season. This total represents a United Soccer League record that has never been bettered in more than 25 years of competition. The team finished its first season in existence as the runners up in the USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
.
The only way that Rennie could build on the success of 2007 would be to win the 2008 Championship and that is exactly what the Cleveland City Stars Achieved with a 2–1 victory over the Charlotte Eagles
Charlotte Eagles
Charlotte Eagles is an American professional soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in front of a sold out crowd at Krenzler Stadium in Cleveland and live to a TV audience throughout the United States. Again Rennie’s work was recognized in the shape of the coach of the year award. What made the Championship winning success even more impressive was the fact that many of the top young players that Rennie had recruited and coached in 2007 were transferred to professional teams at a higher level before the 2008 season began. Once again at the end of the 2008 season many of the most talented players were recruited by MLS and European teams.
Carolina RailHawks
These unprecedented levels of coaching success did not go unnoticed and this time the opportunity to coach the Carolina RailHawks from USL 1USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
was too much to for Rennie to resist. With the Carolina RailHawks he inherited a team that had only made the playoffs once in the history of the Franchise and had never finished above eighth place in a regular season campaign. Rennie decided to completely clean house and only kept 3 players from the previous RailHawks roster. He then completely changed the team culture and environment, introducing psychological, tactical and physical concepts that had never been implemented at this level before. The results were astonishing. In 2009 the team missed out on the regular season title by only 2 points finishing runners up to Portland who recorded one of the best regular season records in the 25 year history of the USL. Rennie was finalist for the coach of the year award and his team was recognized for the incredible turnaround that had taken place in just one season.
In 2010 the RailHawks established themselves as arguably the premier team in US Soccer outside of the MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. The RailHawks won the NASL
North American Soccer League (2010)
The North American Soccer League is a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began league play on April 9, 2011. It has been provisionally sanctioned as the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer in the...
league title and continued their success all the way into the post season with a run to the Championship final. For a team that had never even scored a playoff goal far less recorded a playoff win throughout the history of the franchise this was an even more impressive achievement. For the fourth year in a row Rennie was recognized as a finalist for the Coach of the Year Award, a feat that has never been achieved before at this level of professional soccer. The RailHawks also broke every franchise record in the book for a single season including conceding only 14 goals and scoring 54.
Rennie attributes much of his coaching success to the leadership and psychological lessons he learned during a hugely successful career in the corporate world as well as the invaluable support he has had from assistant coaches Brian Irvine
Brian Irvine (footballer)
Brian Irvine is a former international footballer who played as a defender.-Career:Irvine began his career with Falkirk in 1983. After two years and nearly forty league appearances for the Bairns - where he played alongside his brother - Irvine moved to Aberdeen...
and Paul Ritchie, both former Scotland national football team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
players.