ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (January 12, 2015) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today that Malcolm Phillips, one of Major League Soccer’s most experienced equipment managers, has joined the club.
Phillips, originally from Southampton, England, has worked as a “kit man” in MLS since its inception in 1996. He got his start as a volunteer with the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996, when Rowdies president and general manager Farrukh Quraishi and head coach Thomas Rongen held the same positions with the Mutiny.
Phillips worked for the Mutiny for four years before joining the San Jose Earthquakes, where he was part of an MLS Cup-winning team in 2003. Phillips spent the past eight years with Toronto FC, a club he joined in 2007 in its inaugural season.
“I’ve known Thomas and Farrukh since 1996,” Phillips said. “I worked at a sports bar in Lutz and the Mutiny’s equipment manager came in from time to time and we’d talk about soccer. With me being English and MLS just starting, I was curious how he knew so much. He took me out to his van and opened the doors and it was filled with Mutiny gear. I asked if I could watch a practice one day and it all started from there.”
Phillips started volunteering for the Mutiny on game days in 1996 and eventually worked his way up the chain to full-time equipment manager in 1998.
Returning to Tampa Bay to reunite with Quraishi and Rongen is like a homecoming for Phillips. He was vacationing at home in Southampton, where he is a Southampton FC season ticket holder, when he got a call from a number he didn’t recognize.
“I let it go to voicemail and it was Thomas saying, ‘I’m the new coach of the Rowdies. I need a kit man and you’re the only guy I want,’” Phillips said. “I called Farrukh and said, ‘I heard you’re looking for somebody.’ He responded, ‘Yeah, we’re looking for you.’”
A couple of days later, Phillips had agreed to join the Rowdies. After spending nearly two decades working in MLS, the North American Soccer League is a new challenge for Phillips.
Phillips has already arrived in the Tampa Bay area to begin preparations for the new season. His responsibilities will include maintenance of all game and practice equipment for the Rowdies, including uniforms, cleats, soccer balls, cones and all other equipment.
“It’s a new start,” Phillips said. “It’s all going to be new to me, but I worked in MLS for 16 years, so hopefully I can bring that experience here and show new ways to do some things.”
The Rowdies will begin strength and conditioning work Monday, January 12 ahead of preseason camp opening a few weeks later.
