Waterford native Giles Cheevers has accepted a new job in the US as Head Coach to Nashville Atlas AC
Nashville Atlas FC has hired Giles Cheevers as Head Coach and Andy Poklad as Director of Football for their inaugural 2014 campaign.
Giles, a Waterford native, is a former Waterford United goalkeeper and he also managed and coached the Blues prior to his move to the USA some years ago.
He was a member of the Waterford United team that won the First Division League title in 1990.
Cheevers is currently Head Coach at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, TN, and also coaches the U-15 boys at Tennessee Soccer Club, one of the leading youth clubs in the state of Tennessee.
Cheevers has been with TSC for seven years. Poklad serves as the Executive Director of Tennessee United Soccer Club in Hendersonville, TN, and also serves on the Tennessee State Soccer Association staff as a certified coaching instructor.
The club will benefit substantially from the depth of experience and professionalism that both Cheevers and Poklad bring to the organization.
The duo will provide a solid foundation for Atlas as it builds its first team for competition in the Southeast Conference of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in the summer of 2014
“I am delighted with this opportunity to coach Nashville Atlas in the NPSL and I am very excited for the challenge that lies ahead,” said Cheevers.
“Our aim will be to put a competitive team with a winning mentality on the field each week. To achieve this we will have to be fit, hard-working, organized, and technically solid and disciplined on the field in training and game time.”
Cheevers will be responsible for all personnel decisions, and will be setting the playing philosophy and tactics of the squad.
“We will emphasize possession by passing, moving and supporting each other off the ball. When the opposition have the ball, our focus will be to apply pressure and win it back quickly, always considering the various factors like quality of our opponents and weather that may impact the tactics,” Cheevers explained.
Nashville Atlas FC joined the NPSL in October 2013, and will play in the Southeastern Conference of the South Region. Atlas will begin its inaugural league campaign in May 2014.
