Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
MIKE READLINGTom Fitzgerald, who led the Spartans to the Div. II national title in 1994, is back.
TAMPA - It was widely believed Tampa's search for a men's soccer coach was going to end with a name from the past.
How far back the Spartans went surprised just about everyone, including the man who was hired.
"They're blowing dust off the books they've gone back so far," said Tom Fitzgerald, who will leave UCLA to return to UT.
Fitzgerald, 52, was the Spartans coach from 1987-96, leading them to the Final Four three times, including the Division II national championship in 1994.
He resigned after 1996 to become an assistant with the MLS's Columbus Crew. Midway through his first season he became coach and was fired in the middle of 2001. Then he led UCLA to the national title in 2002.
"The main reason I'm leaving is because my wife and I have seen our (two) kids and grandson twice in the past 16 months," he said. "We spent a long time in Tampa. It was difficult to leave and not come back."
His move appears to have come at the expense of one of his former players, Adrian Bush, who was believed to be the front-runner. Bush is director of coaching for the Hillsborough County United club and was a UT assistant from 1996-98 and coach at Gaither from 1995-2001. Bush also played at UT, serving as captain.
Bush helps train Jesuit's junior-varsity team and was at practice when he was told Fitzgerald got the job.
"I basically called to recommend Adrian because I felt Adrian would do a good job there," Fitzgerald said. "I just feel they wanted more experience. Then the conversation turned to "Why don't you come back?"'
Bush said he was "extremely crushed" by the news but added he was "happy for the university, happy for the program and happy for Fitz."
"He was my coach. He was like my dad," said Bush, who graduated from Hillsborough High.