Almost 17 years to the date of his departure for Michigan, Wealthy Rodriguez returns house. Friday afternoon, the Grant City, West Virginia native was formally launched as the subsequent head soccer coach of the Mountaineers on the WVU Coliseum.
As you’d anticipate, Rodriguez was filled with emotion all through his opening assertion and Q&A session with the media readily available. A number of instances all through the ceremony, he introduced up his remorse of leaving WVU almost 20 years in the past.
“Gosh, it’s nice. That is actually surreal. It’s nice to be house. Ought to have by no means left,” he said when he first stood on the podium. “I’m very, very appreciative of the chance to return again house to be your head soccer coach at West Virginia College.”
Most new coaches expertise a honeymoon section with the fan base. The whole lot appears nice and dandy, all the pieces the coach says and does is seen as excellent till it is not. That will not be the case right here, and Wealthy is nicely conscious of that. There is a part of the Mountaineer fan base that has but to forgive Rodriguez for leaving West Virginia, and a few of them could by no means forgive and neglect.
“I perceive that there’s followers which might be upset. Not less than they care, proper? Generally, not all the pieces is as you assume it’s. However I made a mistake. My promise to not simply the oldsters which might be upset, however to everyone right here and everyone that’s been very, very supportive…I’ll earn your assist. We are going to earn your assist and your belief again. I’m dedicated to that, and I’ve considered that even earlier than this chance. That is my house. That is such an excellent state. I’ll show to them that the person to my proper made the proper choice.”
The one factor that may assist patch the divide within the fan base? Successful. If Rodriguez can get the Mountaineers again within the nationwide dialog, the overwhelming majority of those that assist the Previous Gold and Blue can be on board.
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