1. Thomas Eddy Rongen was born on 31 October 1956 and is a Dutch-American football coach who has spent the majority of his playing and coaching career in the United States.
26 Facts About Thomas Rongen
1. 2.
Thomas Rongen's stint managing the American Samoa national team was covered in the 2014 documentary Next Goal Wins, and the 2023 biographical comedy-drama called Next Goal Wins.
3.
Thomas Rongen began his playing career with Amsterdamsche FC, with whom he played as defensive midfielder and defender from 1973 to 1979.
4.
In 1979, Thomas Rongen moved to the United States, joining the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League.
5.
Thomas Rongen then began the 1980 season in Los Angeles.
6.
Thomas Rongen moved with the team and spent the 1984 outdoor season there.
7.
On 22 May 1985, Thomas Rongen joined the South Florida Sun of the United Soccer League.
8.
In October 1985, Thomas Rongen signed as a free agent with the Chicago Sting of MISL.
9.
Thomas Rongen continued to play for the Strikers until 1993.
10.
Thomas Rongen began his coaching career as an assistant with the Pope John Paul II High School boys' team in 1984.
11.
Thomas Rongen resigned from his position on 16 May 1988.
12.
Thomas Rongen served as an assistant with the Nova Southeastern University men's soccer team.
13.
Thomas Rongen took the Strikers to the 1989 ASL title and then skippered the team to a victory over the San Diego Nomads in the national championship game.
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Thomas Rongen was one of the inaugural coaches in MLS, coaching the Tampa Bay Mutiny in their first season in 1996, with whom he won the MLS regular season, and won MLS Coach of the Year Award.
15.
Thomas Rongen coached the Revolution to their first-ever playoff appearance in the 1997 season, but was unable to replicate the success he had in Tampa Bay.
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Thomas Rongen was a finalist for 1999 MLS Coach of the Year, but lost out to Sigi Schmid.
17.
Thomas Rongen's DC United missed the playoffs in both 2000 and 2001, and he lost his job with United in 2001, and was replaced with Ray Hudson.
18.
Thomas Rongen was appointed head coach of the United States men's U20 national team again in 2006 and led the team to the 2007 and 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cups.
19.
Thomas Rongen was fired from that position in May 2011 after the team failed to qualify for the 2011 U-20 World Cup.
20.
In 2011, Thomas Rongen became the head coach of American Samoa.
21.
Thomas Rongen became director of TFC Academy prior to the 2012 season, joining countrymen Aron Winter and Bob de Klerk at Toronto FC.
22.
Thomas Rongen was named head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in December 2014.
23.
Thomas Rongen was fired along with General Manager and President, Farrukh Quraishi on 21 August 2015.
24.
In late 2016, Thomas Rongen was hired by Bruce Arena as the head international scout for the United States national team program.
25.
Thomas Rongen is stepfather to Gail's children with Nicky Megaloudis, Nicole and Chris.
26.
Thomas Rongen wore his stepdaughter's baseball cap during American Samoa's win over Tonga, as shown in Next Goal Wins.