ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rowdies are unbeaten through 11 matches in USL Championship play this season. While the success on the field has fueled optimism around the club, the organization is also investing in its future off the field with the help of one of its most accomplished former players.
Leo Fernandes, the 2022 USL Championship Player of the Year and a Rowdies midfielder for nine seasons, is now serving as the club's head scout.
"I've always said, if it wasn't for the injury, I wouldn't be here," Fernandes told Tampa Bay 28 sports anchor Kyle Burger.
Fernandes became one of the most decorated players in Rowdies history during his time in Tampa Bay. His 19-goal campaign in 2022 earned him league MVP honors.
But the following year brought an unexpected setback.
"Just a normal preseason game," Fernandes said. "I remember feeling pretty good. Then all of a sudden, I was taking a penalty kick. I went to do an explosive step and popped my Achilles."
The Achilles injury sidelined Fernandes for most of the 2023 season. Nagging injuries over the next two years ultimately led him to retire following the 2025 campaign.
"I asked the doctor, 'Why does this happen?'" Fernandes said. "One of those things that happened and changed my career."
Rather than stepping away from soccer entirely, Fernandes found a new way to stay involved in the game.
"It was something that was missing in the USL," Fernandes said of the scouting role. "MLS does a good job of having a scouting department and a system in place. Looking back at Tampa, I think it can help the club even more. It's something I really enjoyed doing and felt was needed at the time."
In his new position, Fernandes is helping build the Rowdies' scouting and recruitment department from the ground up, identifying talent and shaping the club's long-term vision.
Rowdies assistant coach Yann Ekra believes Fernandes is a natural fit for the role.
"He's passionate, he knows what he's doing," Ekra said. "He was a real competitor on the field. I know with this new role, it's the same thing. He’s trying to find the best players in the area in the scouting role."
"We want winners," Fernandes said. "You've seen this year, we've won a lot of games. In the past, especially the last couple of years, we had players who got a little too complacent. First and foremost, you've got to want to be here. Any pro athlete, if you want to play for the badge, this team, this city, you're going to give it a bit more."
Although many former athletes struggle to let go of competition, Fernandes said he has no desire to return to the field.
"I don't got the itch," he said. "The last couple of years have been tough. Looking at our roster right now, these guys are really good. It doesn't make sense for me to try. They're doing a phenomenal job on the field. I don't have the itch at all.”
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