January 5, 2021 (Boyds, MD) - Maryland Bobcats Football Club is proud to announce that Sylvain Rastello will be the next First Team Head Coach and General Manager on a two-year deal. Rastello's resume speaks for itself, with his coaching pedigree spanning countries all over the world. The Canadian manager has already started his duties, running our Invite Combine back in November looking for the next players to add to the Bobcats roster. 

“When I was contacted by the Bobcats, my first reaction was surprise." Rastello said. "I am passionate about this sport and challenges do not scare me. After talking with the Technical Director (Paul Ngend), I accepted the mission to lead the pro team with humility and respect for what has been put in place by my predecessors. I feel a certain pressure by this project but my expertise over several decades and my experiences on a multitude of continents will guide me to the best possible results for the club."

Rastello brings exprience and perspective from all over the world including Canada, France, the Solomon Islands, and South Africa. Among other stops, Rastello has coached at the Olympique Lyon academy, multiple youth academies in Canada where he served as Technical Director, as a Technical Support Coach for the South African National Team in 2010, as an Assistant Coach on the Solomon Island National Team in 2013, and on staff with staffs from 2014-2015 with the Canadian U-20 and Senior National Teams.

Asked about the Bobcats and what he hopes to bring to the table, Rastello said that "My first impression is that I will try to give back confidence to the players. Even though the club finished its first season in NISA at the bottom of the standings, it has good players and an ambitious management team, starting with the owners and the current staff. I do this job to live and share emotions, and the Bobcats allow me to do it. It's a great feeling to thrill the fans. For this new season, I will rely on the backbone of last season and try to improve the group with targeted players who will fit into a model of play that I want to put in place."

His model of play is already being created as Rastello was in Maryland to help lead the club's Invitational Combine in November, looking for talented players to add to his squad. In his role, Rastello will be in charge of day-to-day trainings, play style, and overall roster contruction. 

MBFC President Jide Saba is excited about the hire and what Coach Rastello brings to the club, saying "Sylvian fits us as a club. It is important when you’re looking for someone to come into an organization that you do a thorough check on the person. Their personalities and what they will be bringing into the organization has to mesh with what the organization wants to build. Sylvain's background and resume speaks for itself. We are happy to have him on board to take the club in a different direction. We will all be here to support him. Welcome to the club coach!"