Former Hearts manager Robbie Neilson has been named as the new head coach of Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The ex-Dundee United boss has made the switch Stateside to take over at the USL Championship club.
Neilson has penned a "multi-year contract" with the club in his first role back in the dugout after being sacked by Hearts in April.
On his appointment, Neilson said: “I’m so grateful for the fantastic opportunity the ownership of the Rowdies has given me to help this club continue its development.
“It’s truly a great setup for soccer here in Tampa Bay. There is a great training ground and all the facilities you need for the team to continue to progress and be successful.
"A big thing for me making the decision to come here is the good people already in place. That is so important at any soccer club. There’s a real positivity here and there’s an ambition to continue to be successful.
"We’ve got a fantastic squad and now it’s about adding a bit more quality and energy to get it to the next level.”
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And asked what fans can expect from his Rowdies side, he added: “First and foremost, fans can expect high energy from our squad. When it comes down to my team, work rate is the most important thing. Humility, honesty, and work ethic are the three things that I always focus on getting out of the clubs I have worked at.
"Ultimately, it’s about winning football matches and historically, I’ve managed to do that at the clubs I’ve been at. We want to win the regular season, win the Eastern Conference, and ultimately win the whole thing. That’s the ultimate objective. There’s plenty of hard work to get there, but that’s where we’re setting our sights.”
Vice chairman Brain Auld commented: “We are proud to bring a coach of Robbie’s caliber here to Tampa Bay to lead the Rowdies.
“Throughout his career, Robbie has shown the ability to get results at a high level and take teams under his leadership to new heights.
"We believe Robbie’s passion and drive matches our ambitions to continually improve on and off the field, which makes him a perfect fit for the Rowdies.”
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