Goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, a standout for Phoenix Rising FC, faces another offseason of uncertainty as the team works to secure his return for 2025. (Photo by Brendon Pricco/Cronkite News)
PHOENIX – The new coach of Phoenix Rising FC comes from a different league, and the roster he is taxed with improving before the United Soccer League season begins in March is still in a state of flux. But Pa-Modou Kah has a resume as unique as the situation he is inheriting.
Kah has a wealth of experience not only on the field but off it. The Gambia native has experience in both European and North American soccer and speaks seven different languages. Kah is fluent in Wolof, Norwegian, English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Arabic. Kah’s mastery of diverse languages should help him form genuine connections with his players quicker than most.
Just four days after Phoenix lost a quarterfinal playoff game to New Mexico on Nov. 3, ending Rising’s bid to defend their USL title, the team announced that interim coach Diego Gomez would not return. Gomez stepped in after the firing of first-year coach Danny Stone in June.
On Monday, Rising officially announced Charlotte FC assistant coach Kah as their next head coach, the 12th in franchise history.
“Pa’s breadth of experience as both a player and coach across global soccer makes him an incredible addition to Phoenix Rising,” Rising president Bobby Dulle said. “In our conversations, it’s clear he is an intense, driven leader with a strong reputation for approachability and building genuine connections with and getting the most out of his players.”
On the field, Kah has an impressive biography, most of it spent with Major League Soccer, including his last stop with Charlotte. Over the past seven seasons, Kah has been an assistant and head coach with five different teams.
- 2017/2018: Vancouver Whitecaps assistant coach (MLS)
- 2019: FC Cincinnati assistant coach (MLS)
- 2020/2021: Pacific FC head coach (Canadian Premier League)
- 2022: North Texas SC head coach (MLS Next)
- 2023: Charlotte FC assistant Coach (MLS)
All League defender Pape Mar Boye will look to come to an agreement with Rising after historic rookie season. (Photo by Brendon Pricco/Cronkite News)
In his seven years coaching, Kah has helped guide his teams to the playoffs in five of those seasons. In 2021, Kah led Pacific FC to its first CPL title in only the team’s third season. Kah says he is ready to bring his wealth of professional experience to Phoenix to claim the USL trophy once again.
“I’m here because Phoenix Rising has the ambition and the drive to maintain its status as one of the top clubs in the USL Championship, with a commitment to bringing home more hardware and developing players,” he said.
Currently, out of the 24 players on the roster, seven players have an expiring loan at the end of the month and four players have an expiring contract. Eight players were acquired via a “free transfer,” meaning Phoenix will have to sign them this upcoming offseason or they will be a free agent. Two players have club options this offseason.
That leaves just two players on the roster who are signed through next season, Darius Johnson and Jearl Margaritha.
“I’m ready to lead this team, work with our players, and bring in the key pieces that match our style and intensity,” Kah said.
Rising will have to make several key offseason decisions but four stand out above the rest.
Pape Mar Boye was signed Jan. 9 out of Clemson University, where he helped lead the Tigers to a national championship one month before turning pro. In his first professional season, Mar Boye had an enormous impact, leading the team in clearances, blocks, duels, duels won, aerial duels and aerial duels won.
Additionally, Mar Boye ranked 15th in the league in clearances with 4.4 per game. All of the success on the field got him recognition off the field as well. Just last week, Rising announced that Mar Boye was named to USL’s All-League Second Team, raising his worth.
To begin the season, Mar Boye was valued at $150,000. Currently, his price tag sits at $200,000, according to transfermarkt.us. If Rising wants to continue their defensive dominance, Mar Boye is someone they need to keep on the roster next season.
Rising forward Tomas Ángel aims to re-sign with Phoenix Rising FC for 2025 after making a notable impact during his brief 2024 stint. (Photo by Brendon Pricco/Cronkite News)
Thomas Ángel was loaned Aug. 2 from LAFC of the MLS. The forward made just 15 appearances for Rising but was very impactful, tallying 25 total shots (15 of those on target) and three goals. The stats may not be eye-popping to most, but the attention he got on the field was next level as most opposing teams looked to focus on him on the defensive end due to his quickness on and off the ball.
Last season, Charlotte FC mostly ran the 4-2-3-1 formation. Kah could come into Phoenix and change the formation to 4-2-3-1, which relies heavily on one attacker to do the majority of the scoring. Ángel is a perfect striker to have in that sort of system if Kah winds up implementing it.
Due to some injuries and limited playing time, Ángel’s market value has dropped from $650,000 to $450,000. While that is a decrease, the price tag is still hefty for the striker.
One of Kah and Rising’s biggest offseason questions comes at goalkeeper. Rocco Rios Novo was loaned from Lanús II in Argentina in 2022 for 1 million euros. After last season, Rising signed him once again and extended the loan until the end of this season.
Rios Novo was nothing short of special between the pipes this season, catapulting the team into the top 10 in four different categories. Individually, Rios Novo ranked 10th in the USL in saves per game with 2.9, 12th in the USL in save percentage at 70.3 and fourth in the USL in clean sheets with 12. Rios Novo also helped put Rising near the top of the rankings in both goals conceded and clean sheets. Rising finished seventh in the USL in goals conceded per game at 0.7 and sixth in the USL in total clean sheets with 13.
Rios Novo is worth $400,000, according to transfermarkt.us. Rising would be hard-pressed to find another goalie who has helped a team in such a short amount of time like Rios Novo has done.
Another key defender could be hitting the market this offseason. Laurence Wyke was signed on Jan. 26, from Nashville SC of MLS to a one-year deal that is set to expire on Nov. 30. Just like Mar Boye, Wyke was toward the top of the team in nearly every single defensive category. This season, Wyke made 31 appearances, starting in 29.
Wyke ranked second in clearances (80), second in blocks (13), third in interceptions (30), led the team in tackles (62), first on the team in tackles won (45), third on the team in duels (233) and second on the team in duels won (141).
Rising may not be able to keep both of their elite defenders but if they want to continue their success, they will have to sign at least one. Wyke’s market value is $250,000, according to transfermarkt.us.
Kah has been given a very competitive roster, but will have to do some salary cap gymnastics in order to keep them all in Phoenix.
