



ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – “You could write a book about it, you really could.”



Neill Collins, 34, is talking a mile a minute in his sharp Scottish accent, lounging at the Starbucks across the street from Al Lang Stadium as he reflects on his whirlwind run as player-turned-coach for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the local United Soccer League club.



On one Wednesday in mid-May, Collins – formerly of the Sheffield United in England – was wearing the captain’s armband for the Rowdies in Jacksonville. The next day, he was named head coach, having to immediately retire after 598 career matches. That Saturday, he coached his first game.



“It’s been surreal,” Collins said. “Lot of obstacles in my way. Some of them have been crazy. I asked a couple people, ‘Is this normal?’ No, what happened in the last three to four months has been anything but normal.”



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