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December 31, 2009
THE YEAR’S TOP STORIES - NO. 1
Mariner sets sail for England
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Long time assistant coach Paul Mariner left the Revolution to take a position with Plymouth Argyle.
Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
Few assistant coaches are as closely linked to the success of a team as Paul Mariner had been to the Revolution over much of the last decade. His departure for England is the No.1 story on the New England Soccer News list of top stories in 2009.
Mariner stepped down from his position with the Revs in October to take a position with Plymouth Argyle.
Mariner acknowledged that the sudden career move was unexpected, coming with barely a week left in the season and the Revolution in a tight battle for the playoffs. “As we know, in football, things move very quickly. Either you’re in or you’re out," Mariner said. "And when the offer came in from Plymouth, I immediately spoke to Steve [Nicol] about it...The New England Revolution and Kraft Soccer have been fantastic and understanding. They knew it was an opportunity for me, and they didn’t want to stand in my way.”
Mariner has spent six seasons with the Revolution, joining head coach Steve Nicol’s staff in the spring of 2004. During his tenure in New England, the Revolution advanced to three MLS Cup championship matches, four Eastern Conference Championship games, and won both the 2007 U.S. Open Cup and 2008 SuperLiga championship.
"Paul has been a tremendous asset to the Revolution and was respected by every member of our organization during his time with us,” Revolution Vice President of Player Personnel Michael Burns said. “While we’re disappointed to see him leave us, we wanted to allow Paul to pursue this opportunity. We wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors.”
“I wish to thank everyone that I’ve worked with at the Revolution who have been so supportive, including the Kraft family and Steve Nicol,” Mariner said. “I have had a wonderful experience with this club, but I was presented with an offer that is very special to me personally, and I could not pass it up.”
Plymouth Argyle, Mariner explained, "gave me my first chance as a player, and I grabbed it with both hands. Plymouth Argyle is in my blood. The teams that you’ve been associated with are the ones you always look for every week. So when they came knocking on the door and asked for my interview, I was delighted. Hopefully, I can do a decent job for the supporters and the board.”
Born in Bolton, Lancashire, England, Mariner was one of the top forwards in English football in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He earned 35 international caps playing for his country, and led the England attack in the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
After leaving Plymouith Argyle, Mariner scored 97 goals at Ipswich Town from 1976-84. He then played three seasons with Arsenal FC and finished his English Leagues career with Portsmouth. He won the 1978 FA Cup and 1981 UEFA Cup with Ipswich Town. He scored for England against France in the 1982 World Cup, after netting the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Hungary that put England through to the 1982 World Cup.
Mariner began his coaching career in 1988 with the APSL’s Albany Capitals, followed by a stint with the league’s San Francisco Bay Blackhawks. Before joining the Revolution, Mariner was an assistant coach at Harvard University.
Mariner also has worked as a color commentator on BBC North West broadcasts of the English Premier League and as an analyst on ESPN International and New Zealand television.
He has three sons, all living in England.
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