ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (April 4, 2025) – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today that former midfielder Yann Ekra has returned to the club as an assistant coach for the 2025 USL Championship season.
Ekra played a pivotal role in helping the Rowdies become an established contender in the USL Championship during his tenure with the club from 2019 to 2023. He made 127 appearances across all competitions during his five-season tenure with the Rowdies, helping the club win back-to-back Eastern Conference titles in 2020 and 2021 and the Players’ Shield in 2021. Ekra’s 277 USL Championship regular-season appearances currently rank third all-time in league history.
“We’ve been looking to bring someone in for a while now, and Yann was someone who stood out to us,” said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. “He’s someone who already knows a lot of the players, knows what it means to be a part of the Rowdies, and was a big part of the club’s past success on the field. He also has massive experience from his long career in the USL and from his time as a young player in Europe, which will add value to our staff. Yann is just starting his coaching career, so we’re glad that we can offer him this opportunity to challenge himself at the professional level and develop as a coach.”
Born in Côte d’Ivoire, Ekra began his career in Europe with the academy and reserve teams of Olympique Lyonnais, Châteauroux, and Hull City before moving to the United States in 2012. Ekra obtained his US Soccer B Coaching License while playing for the Rowdies.
“I’m very happy to be here with the Rowdies again,” said Ekra. “This is a great opportunity for me. I love this club and I know it well after playing here for many years. I was excited when I got the call to help the club in a different role. I’m here to learn and help the club in any way I can. It’s the same as when I was a player, every day is about coming in and trying to be better. I want to learn as much as I can from the great coaches we have here.”
