Tony McManus

Tony McManus, joined the Tigers program after spending the 2013 season at Stetson University as an assistant coach, recruiting and travel coordinator for the Hatters.

McManus, who spent nine years playing professionally, spent four years as an assistant with the Tigers and remained in that role when Richard Mulrooney took over as the program's head coach.
McManus

"Tony was a person I thought of right off the bat when I was first hired," said head coach Richard Mulrooney. "I got to meet Tony at a recruiting event in 2013 and the impression he made on me was huge. He is a first-class person who was raised here in the city of Memphis and brings a ton of credibility with him to the field from his playing days in college as well as MLS. He comes from Stetson University and the knowledge and experience he gained from there will help us tremendously here at Memphis."

The Memphis, Tenn., native played a critical role in developing a team that reached new heights as a member of the American Athletic Conference. Memphis picked up 10 wins, the most in a single season during McManus’ Memphis career. McManus was also a factor in the Tigers having five all-conference players. Sam Ashton was named first team all-conference, while Ben Roberts and Gurman Sangha landed on the second team. Additionally, Peter Chang and Ford Hunt were named to the all-rookie team.

McManus has helped develop multiple AAC All-Conference selections including David Zalzman and Ben Roberts. Both players were selected to the Second-Team All-Conference. Zalzman led the team with seven points, and he tied with Roberts as leading scorers with two goals each.

The duo of Roberts and Zalzman repeated the feat in 2018, both earning First-Team All-AAC. Most notably, the pair led the Tigers to a first round win over USF in the AAC Championship, claiming the first conference tournament win as members of the AAC.

Under McManus' tutelage, Raul Gonzalez, an AAC All-Conference player, became the first player under the current coaching staff to sign a professional soccer contract. Former keeper Jake Leeker and Zalzman have since joined that list, inking professional contracts of their own.

Before arriving in Florida, McManus spent one season at Oglethorpe University, a Division III school in Atlanta, Ga. In his lone season with the Stormy Petrels, McManus helped guide the team to the conference tournament semifinals and a 9-7 season record.

Before his time in the coaching ranks, McManus spent nine seasons playing in Major League Soccer (MLS), United Soccer Leagues (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL). He began his professional career with the Chicago Fire of the MLS in 2004.

A native Memphian, McManus spent much of his professional career playing for the Atlanta Silverbacks of the USL First Division from 2005-08 as a midfielder. In 2007, McManus appeared in 30 matches and helped the Silverbacks to the USL Championship Game. In 2005 McManus was a brief teammate of Head Coach Richard Mulrooney at FC Dallas where he spent the end of the season on loan, although they never played together because of an ACL injury suffered by Coach Mulrooney.

In 2009, McManus moved west to the Portland Timbers of the USL, who went on a 24-match winning streak that season, one of the longest unbeaten streaks in U.S. soccer history. The Timbers went on to claim the USL First Division Commissioner's Cup.

McManus stayed at Portland through the 2011 MLS season before stints with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Carolina Railhawks, both of the NASL. McManus won the Supporters Shield that year with the Railhawks.

In 2012, McManus returned to the Atlanta Silverbacks in the NASL where he went on to finish out his career as the all-time appearance holder with 132 appearances before retiring following that season.

Since 2004, McManus has worked with numerous youth soccer clubs that include the Roswell Soccer Club, Bridlemile Soccer Club, Vestavia Steamers, Chicago Sockers Soccer Club and the Triangle Soccer Club. Currently he is coaching at CSA Lobos Rush in Collierville, Tenn. as well as on the ODP Region Staff. McManus holds a USSF A license.

A four-year letterwinner at UAB, McManus received his Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in Health Education in 2003. McManus was a two-year captain for the Blazers during the 2002 and 2003 seasons as he captured National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and College Soccer News All-American honors during his senior campaign. He also garnered the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year award and was selected to the C-USA First Team and the First Team All-South Region in 2003. During his time in Birmingham, UAB was crowned C-USA champions in 1999, advancing to the Elite Eight that season to begin a span of three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.