ST PETERSBURG, FL (December 17, 2021) – With Head Coach Neill Collins locked into a multi-year extension to remain in charge of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the club’s focus has shifted to ensuring the team on the field can match and improve upon a record-breaking 2021 season. To start off on that task, the Rowdies announced on Friday the return of nine valuable contributors from this year’s squad, which finished the regular season with the best record in the league and claimed the club’s second straight Eastern Conference title.
The group of returning players includes a mix of Rowdies veterans and young players who impressed in their first season in Tampa Bay. Attackers confirmed to return include fan-favorite Lucky Mkosana, speedy youngster Jordan Adebayo-Smith, and the club’s second leading scorer Steevan Dos Santos. While veteran Yann Ekra, the versatile Sebastian Dalgaard, the dynamic Dayonn Harris, and one of the club’s top assisters Conner Antley are all set to return for the Green and Gold in midfield. Experienced center back Jordan Scarlett and promising goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena have also been retained to protect the Rowdies’ net next year.
“Over the past two years a big part of our success has been being able to retain the core of our squad and we aim to do the same again,” said Collins. “All of these players played a key part on and off the field last year and are returning in 2022 as I believe they are as hungry as ever to improve and make the team better. Our squad has a great balance of younger and more experienced players and this group of guys shows that. Players like Conner and Dayonn showed fantastic improvement last season and will continue to get better. Players like Yann and Lucky, while at a different stage in their careers, also continue to improve and make the team better.”
Despite missing a significant chunk of the season due to injury, Dos Santos was a reliable weapon up top for the Rowdies as he bagged 12 goals, including the game-winning goal in extra-time of the Eastern Conference Championship Final. Adebayo-Smith joined the Rowdies shortly after turning 20 years old and went on to notch four tallies, highlighted by two game-winners. Mkosana was only available for the last few months of the season this year, but the crafty striker made the most of his time on the field. While being primarily utilized as a substitute, Mkosana scored four goals and recorded two assists in just 340 minutes of play. Two of those goals were scored in the dying moments of the Eastern Conference Championship Final versus Louisville City to push the match into extra-time.
In his third season with the Rowdies this year, Ekra found his most consistent form for the club yet, appearing in 27 matches and recording a game-winning goal in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final against Birmingham Legion FC. Ekra is also one of the most experienced players in league history, with 229 USL Championship appearances under his belt since 2012. Dalgaard returns for a third season in Tampa Bay after another strong campaign as he was just one of three Rowdies players to appear in all 36 matches. The Danish midfielder’s contributions can often go under the radar, but his technical quality and ability to step into multiple midfield roles makes him a key asset. Meanwhile, Harris is poised for a productive second season after growing into a formidable force out on the right wing with his tremendous pace and dribbling skills. Antley earned the trust of Collins in his first year to become a regular starter in the right wingback role and finished tied with two teammates with a club-leading six assists.
Scarlett brings his stalwart defensive abilities back to the Rowdies after two straight seasons of consistent performances on one of the best back lines in the league. The Jamaican-born defender has missed just one match in his time with the Rowdies. Arozarena only had the chance at two starts in net in his debut season for the Rowdies, yet the young keeper earned the confidence of Collins with his efforts in those matches as well as in training week in and week out.
In addition to the players confirmed to return, the Rowdies also announced the departure of the following players:
- Players whose contract options were declined – Ian McGrane, Luiz Fernando.
- Players whose contracts expired at the end of the season and are now free agents – Evan Louro, Max Lachowecki, Jordan Doherty, and Zach Steinberger.
“On behalf of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, I want to thank every one of the players departing for their dedication to our club and our supporters,” said Rowdies President Lee Cohen. “We have been fortunate to have players of such high character represent the Rowdies, and each of them contributed to a season of Rowdies soccer that no one within our organization or any of our supporters will forget anytime soon.”
Steinberger, Doherty, and Lachowecki have all played integral parts in helping the Rowdies to reach new heights over the last few seasons through their contributions both on the field and in the locker room.
“Zach, Max, and Jordan have been fantastic servants to the club and played a key role in improving standards on and off the field,” said Collins. “Their impact cannot be understated and they will always be welcome at Al Lang Stadium.”
In just two seasons, Louro established himself as one of the best ever to mind the net for the Rowdies. He leaves Tampa Bay having recorded 23 clean sheets in 53 appearances, the second highest shutout tally in the history of the club. Sadly, Louro’s 2021 season was cut one match short due to a knee injury which eliminated him from the USL Championship Final.
“No one on our team deserved for the season to end the way it did, but Evan in particular did not,” said Collins. “His desire and winning mentality has been an inspiration over the past two years. If anyone can recover from this injury, it will be Evan.”
Stay tuned to the Rowdies social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for announcements of more returning players, new players to the squad, as well as news on the schedule for the 2022 season.
Fans can jump aboard as a season ticket member and catch every moment of action at Al Lang Stadium for the upcoming season at https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/tickets.
