TECHNICAL STAFF
Head Coach and Sporting Director
Matt “Gaffa” Poland
Matt “Gaffa” Poland was named the Head Coach and Sporting Director of Naples Florida’s first professional soccer team, FC Naples (USL 1) on July 17, 2024. In his role, Poland is charged with the rare opportunity to build a new club from the ground up, instilling the culture of professionalism and sportsmanship of the club. As the team begins scouting local, national and international talent, Poland is looking for more than good players, he is also looking for good people that will invest in the community that he loves.
Marco Island has been Poland’s home base for the past 13 years, while his journey has led him to play professionally in European Clubs. He has also earned accolades as a coach in European and American leagues. During the off season, Poland’s love of the game has kept on the field coaching both girls’ and boys’ teams at Marco Island Academy, Naples United, and the Local U8.
Poland’s most recent experience coaching was with another startup organization, Chicago House A.C., originally in NISA and currently a member of the Midwest Premier League. He joined Chicago Fire legend CJ Brown’s staff as an assistant coach in the team’s inaugural season of 2021. In January of 2022, he succeeded Brown taking over as House’s head coach and technical director where he amassed a record of 23-8-7 (W-D-L) over two and a third seasons. Most notably, leading House to back-to-back Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament proper appearances, after rigorous fall qualifications. In 2023, House made it to the third round of the tournament on the wave of a 15-game unbeaten streak, having knocked off league foe and historically rich Bavarian United S.C. at home before traveling to USL 1 side Forward Madison winning in a thrilling overtime victory after coming back from a two-goal deficit in the 70th minute. It was the biggest comeback for an amateur side against a professional club in Open Cup play since 1995. House’s fairytale run came to an end at the hands of MLS’s Chicago Fire, making them one of only nine amateur teams to face an MLS competitor in the 110 years of tournament history. Poland’s squads achieved an 8-0-2 record in all U.S. Open Cup competitions, losing only to the Chicago Fire first team and Minnesota United 2. During his time with House 16 players and staff signed professional contracts.
Before joining Chicago House in 2021, Poland was the head coach of Naples United FC (NPSL) where his team was ranked fourth in the country, before leaving to take the Chicago House A.C. job. In addition to coaching Naples United FC, he was also a coach locally for charter school Marco Island Academy (MIA). In 2018, he returned home from playing professionally in Finland to rehab from ACL surgery and was a volunteer assistant coach at MIA. In 2019 and 2020 he was able to return as varsity head coach for the boys’ team as well as the girls’ varsity team 2020 during the offseason in Finland. The boys won their conference both years and made it to sectionals for the first and only time in school history, and the girls’ team won their conference and made it to sectionals for only the second time in the school’s history in a rebuilding year after having nine players graduate the season before.
After graduating from Mayo High School in Rochester, MN, Poland continued his playing career at Taylor University in Upland, IN. He played four years for Taylor as a central defender playing and starting in 73 games, in those games the team’s record was 39-6-28 and he led the team to their first national tournament appearance on a seven-game shutout streak. During his time at Taylor, he earned two first team all-conference honors, as well as two-time runner-up for defensive player of the year. Poland earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science in 2014.
Upon graduation, he signed with Bridges Sports Management. His first professional contract out of college was in Finland with Sporting Kristina. During the 2016-17 seasons he played and captained Sweden’s Sävsjö FF. In 2018 he returned to Sporting Kristina donning the captain’s armband before sustaining a playing career ending ACL injury.
Poland returned to Sporting Kristina in 2019 taking the helm for the first time as the head coach and added sporting director to his title in 2020, in navigating the international player pool during the pandemic lockdowns and restrictions.
Licensures and certifications: Poland earned his UEFA B license (through Germany) in November 2023 and currently holds his USSF B license as well. He will begin his USSF A license at the end of 2024. Additionally, he is in the process of completing
coursework for a Masters in High Performance Football through a school, MBP, in Spain, which he will earn in November. Other licenses he’s earned in coaching include: Specialist in Set Pieces, DFB Goalkeeper License, DFB Field Player License, Bundesliga Workshop 1. FC Köln and a TFV Coaching License.
Testimonials:
“I was very fortunate that Matt Poland was on staff for my first NISA Head Coaching opportunity. He is dedicated to the game, an excellent student always wanting to improve the game & evolve as a coach. He became a great leader as Head Coach to an amateur team, ran it as a professional organization, with very limited, if any resources, taking players to an elite level. In the course of 2 years consecutively, he led the team to the Lamar Hunt’s Open Cup (tournament proper) to eventually be knocked out by two MLS organizations. He creates a great environment for the players to express themselves and perform at their best. I am very happy & excited to see how he will grow in the professional ranks. I know he will be successful! – CJ Brown, Former MLS & USMNT U23 assistant coach.
“Matt was exactly what Chicago House needed in 2022 as the team was going through a transitional phase. He’s a talented and tactical coach who did an outstanding job building a culture of professionalism and winning with an extremely bright future. He was an outstanding representative of everything House strives to be both on and off the field, embracing our mission of soccer with social consciousness and the community at large.” – Peter Wilt, Chicago House President and Managing Partner.
“Matt is a dedicated coach that always puts his players and staff first in the process. I look forward to seeing his growth as a head coach in the USL.” – Junior Gonzales, LAFC 2 Head Coach