Playing in front of the smallest crowds in the league, practicing in less than stellar facilities and taking the reigns an inexperienced team that was losing two of its three top scorers may not sound like an ideal attraction for a new manager. However, none of that seemed to bother Christy Holly. In fact, all of these adverse conditions have helped Holly shape the Sky Blue FC into a legitimate playoff team and it is also the reason he said be NWSL manager of the year.
When Jim Gabarra, the only manager Sky Blue has ever known, left in the fall to take the same position with the Washington Spirit, it was as if he was jumping off of a sinking ship. Last year, under Gabarra, the Sky Blue played with no passion, no cohesion and no ability to create offense which resulted in a 5-8-7 season and saw the team sit near the bottom of the table. Playing in the 6,000 seat Yurcak Field, they played in front of crowds that (still) routinely draw less than 2,000 fans. Their locker room is startlingly smaller than some high school locker rooms and they practice about forty-five minutes away at Georgian Court University, a Catholic college in Lakewood, NJ. It was little wonder that Gabarra jumped at the chance to leave, and his leaving was the best thing that could've happened to the Sky Blue.
Despite the cloud of uncertainty hanging over them, the cure for what ailed the Sky Blue was in front of them all the time. His name was Christy Holly.
Holly's background
Holly is no stranger to Sky Blue management. He served the team for three years as an assistant and prior to that filled the same role for Georgian Court. Having been involved with the Sky Blue since the inception of the NWSL made him a natural choice.
He honed his soccer skills playing collegiately for John Moores University in Liverpool and played professionally for Limavady United in the Irish Premier Division. In all, the Irishman has sixteen years of coaching experience.
Holly's two greatest attributes, his eye for talent and his tactical smarts would quickly put to the test. The Sky Blue had lost two of its top three scorers (Nadia Nadim and Katy Freels) and its third, Sam Kerr was expected to miss the beginning of the season recovering from foot surgery. His top goalkeeper, Brittany Cameron had inked a deal to stay on with her club team in Japan full time. With a roster including young talents such as Kerr, midfielder Sarah Killion, defender Kristin Grubka and with USWNT members Kelley O'Hara and Christie Rampone, Holly was not without pieces to build upon. And build upon he would.
A pre-draft trade brought them the number two selection which they used to take Penn State midfielder Raquel Rodriguez along with fellow 2016 draftees defender Erica Skroski, goalie Caroline Casey, and forward Leah Galton, all of whom have played pivotal roles this season. Former Sky Blue member Natasha Kai brought her unique talents back via free agency and midfielder Kelly Conheeney and Erin Simon made the team through the open tryouts. Holly has artfully blended all these talents together and his squad has responded with more victories and goals at this point than it had all last year.
Aside from victories and goals, what Holly has brought to the squad is not only a calm demeanor but an energy and a sense of team that Gabarra had not. Under Gabarra, the Sky Blue played like a collection of individuals and not the sense of unity that it has under Holly. Watching the team practice, Holly is right in with his team, joking with them, challenging them, and encouraging them.
Holly the tactician
Lost in the excitement is perhaps the thing that has made Holly a top contender for manager of the year, namely his tactical prowess. Rather than imposing his system on the team, he has allowed the collection of talent to mold his system. He adapted to them, not the other way around. He's also shifted players to different roles, at times using defender Kelley O'Hara as an attacker or using forward Maya Hayes' speed in the backline. He eased Rodriguez into the starting lineup, not letting the speed and pace of the pro game overwhelm her. And under his tutelage, Killion has become one of the best midfielders in the league.
Last week against the Spirit, in their signature win of the season, Holly's tactical smarts was front and center. He moved the dangerous Galton to the right and left flanks to create mismatches against the Washington defenders. Galton scored the only tally of the match, in large part due to the tactical moves of Holly.
In addition to Holly the talent evaluator and tactical wizard, he is also keenly aware of the fans and media. After the conclusion of each post game interview, he always makes sure that the media had a good time and urges them to 'get the word out' about his squad. He also wants to make sure the fans get their money's worth and that he has put a good product on the field for them to support.
Final Thoughts
While Holly is the clear choice for manager of the year, what Paul Riley has done with the Western New York Flash cannot and should not be overlooked. He has taken a team in the midst of a rebuild and molded it into the top scoring team in the league. The Flash are every bit the contender, thanks in large part to Riley.