Tatu (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Antonio Carlos Pecorari (born February 1, 1962 in Martinique, Brazil), commonly known as Tatu, is a former Brazilian football (soccer)
player, one of the most accomplished indoor soccer
players of all time.
Tatu came to the United States
after playing with São Paulo
in 1981. He had intended to play for several months, earning enough money to buy a house in São Paulo.
Tatu signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL
during the 1981-82 indoor season and scored a hat trick
in his first appearance even though he hadn't yet had the opportunity to practice with his new club. He quickly became a fan favorite while playing several more outdoor and indoor seasons in Tampa Bay.
The NASL folded 1984, and Tatu moved to the Dallas Sidekicks
of Major Indoor Soccer League
. When Tatu moved to Dallas, the Cleveland Force sued the Sidekicks, arguing they had an agreement with him to purchase his contract from the Rowdies. The Sidekicks eventually gave the Force their second round 1985 draft choice. As a Dallas Sidekick he was a part of all four Sidekick's championship teams (1987, 1993, 1998, 2001). From 1984 until 1992, the Sidekicks played in MISL. The league collapsed in 1992 and Dallas moved to the newly created Continental Indoor Soccer League
until that league also collapased in 1997. The CISL played during the summer and Tatu spent the 1993-1994 indoor season with the Wichita Wings
of the National Professional Soccer League.
In 1998, the Sidekicks competed in the Premier Soccer Alliance. The PSA became the World Indoor Soccer League
in 1999. In 2002, Dallas entered the newly reconstituted Major Indoor Soccer League
.
Tatu is a well-respected sports figure in Dallas, because he is considered to be one of the best players to have played the indoor game in the U.S. Tatu's community involvement includes running many soccer camps in the Dallas area. When the Olympic Torch came through Dallas for the 2002 Salt Lake City games, Tatu had the honor as serving as the Torch Bearer.
In 1998, he replaced Gordon Jago
as the head coach of the Dallas Sidekicks. Tatu is the only person to win the player of the year and the coach of the year in the same season (1998). As a head coach he went 63-53 in the regular season and 7-3 in the playoffs.
Tatu has many indoor soccer records. He is the second all-time in goal scoring with 857. He has the second most season played (21). Only Victor Nogueira
has played more with 23 seasons. He is seventh on the all time list with games played (633). He is also second in points (1585), second in shots (4396), and second in game winning goals (77). He is the leader in power play goals with (113).
He is known for throwing his jersey into the crowd after scoring every goal, a tradition that started during his time with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. His nickname means armadillo
in Portuguese
.
He also spent a brief time in his coaching career coaching at The Highlands School
in Irving, Texas
, where he coached the Blazers to two state championships in the late 1990s. Tatu currently has been coaching several girls' soccer teams for the Sting Soccer Club in North Texas. The high school team which he coaches now is Prince of Peace Christian School in Carrollton, Texas, who are 6 for 8 in state championships thanks to his lead.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, one of the most accomplished indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
players of all time.
Tatu came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after playing with São Paulo
São Paulo Futebol Clube
São Paulo Futebol Clube , commonly known as São Paulo, is a professional football club based in São Paulo, Brazil. They play in the Campeonato Paulista, São Paulo's state league, and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A or Brasileirão, Brazil's national league, and are one of the only five clubs to...
in 1981. He had intended to play for several months, earning enough money to buy a house in São Paulo.
Tatu signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL
NASL
- Soccer :* North American Soccer League, a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.* North American Soccer League , a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began play in 2011.- Starcraft II...
during the 1981-82 indoor season and scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
in his first appearance even though he hadn't yet had the opportunity to practice with his new club. He quickly became a fan favorite while playing several more outdoor and indoor seasons in Tampa Bay.
The NASL folded 1984, and Tatu moved to the Dallas Sidekicks
Dallas Sidekicks
The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2004 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor...
of Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
. When Tatu moved to Dallas, the Cleveland Force sued the Sidekicks, arguing they had an agreement with him to purchase his contract from the Rowdies. The Sidekicks eventually gave the Force their second round 1985 draft choice. As a Dallas Sidekick he was a part of all four Sidekick's championship teams (1987, 1993, 1998, 2001). From 1984 until 1992, the Sidekicks played in MISL. The league collapsed in 1992 and Dallas moved to the newly created Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
until that league also collapased in 1997. The CISL played during the summer and Tatu spent the 1993-1994 indoor season with the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
of the National Professional Soccer League.
In 1998, the Sidekicks competed in the Premier Soccer Alliance. The PSA became the World Indoor Soccer League
World Indoor Soccer League
The World Indoor Soccer League was a United States based indoor soccer league that existed from 1998 to 2001 and consisted of nine teams.-History:...
in 1999. In 2002, Dallas entered the newly reconstituted Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
.
Tatu is a well-respected sports figure in Dallas, because he is considered to be one of the best players to have played the indoor game in the U.S. Tatu's community involvement includes running many soccer camps in the Dallas area. When the Olympic Torch came through Dallas for the 2002 Salt Lake City games, Tatu had the honor as serving as the Torch Bearer.
In 1998, he replaced Gordon Jago
Gordon Jago
Gordon Harold Jago MBE is a former English association football player and manager.Born in Poplar, London, Jago began his career in the Football League with , whom he joined in the 1954–55 season from non-league team . He made a total of 147 appearances, scoring one goal, at The Valley...
as the head coach of the Dallas Sidekicks. Tatu is the only person to win the player of the year and the coach of the year in the same season (1998). As a head coach he went 63-53 in the regular season and 7-3 in the playoffs.
Tatu has many indoor soccer records. He is the second all-time in goal scoring with 857. He has the second most season played (21). Only Victor Nogueira
Victor Nogueira
Victor Nogueira is a retired American soccer goalkeeper. Nogueira spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League, but gained his greatest recognition in over twenty seasons in three indoor leagues, the Major Indoor Soccer League, National Professional Soccer League and the second Major...
has played more with 23 seasons. He is seventh on the all time list with games played (633). He is also second in points (1585), second in shots (4396), and second in game winning goals (77). He is the leader in power play goals with (113).
He is known for throwing his jersey into the crowd after scoring every goal, a tradition that started during his time with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. His nickname means armadillo
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
in Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
.
He also spent a brief time in his coaching career coaching at The Highlands School
The Highlands School
The Highlands School is a private, Catholic college preparatory school in Irving, Texas ranging from grades PK–12. The school was founded in 1986 in the front room of a family's house in Highland Park, Dallas. In the last twenty years The Highlands School changed location twice, all the time...
in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
, where he coached the Blazers to two state championships in the late 1990s. Tatu currently has been coaching several girls' soccer teams for the Sting Soccer Club in North Texas. The high school team which he coaches now is Prince of Peace Christian School in Carrollton, Texas, who are 6 for 8 in state championships thanks to his lead.