NJSA HALL OF FAMER FRANCESCO MANERI HIRED AS NJCU ASSISTANT MEN’S SOCCER COACH
JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey Soccer Association Hall of Famer FRANCESCO MANERI has been hired as a new assistant men's soccer coach at New Jersey City University for the 2011 season, head coach Nansha Kalonji has announced.
Maneri, a well-known figure in soccer in North Jersey for decades, will make his collegiate coaching debut after a career that spans professional soccer as a player, coaching on the professional, high school and club levels, and many years as a soccer referee.
"He is one of the most well-known figures in North Jersey soccer and someone who commands respect," said Kalonji. "I've played under him on the club level and played with him in men's leagues. I have tremendous respect for him. He is an experienced referee and a student of the game who can have a great influence in our decision making during games. He will help to stabilize our coaching system. He is someone who has his own mind on how the game should be played and will make me better as a coach and challenge me."
Maneri played professionally in the U.S.S.L. with the New Jersey Kings and New Jersey Rex in the 1970s, and was inducted into the New Jersey Soccer Association Hall of Fame as a player in 2008—just the 10th player ever to be inducted at that time. Maneri played professionally for the U.S. Palermo Italia Team. He also had a tryout with Palermo after returning to Sicily in the 1970s.
Maneri served as a player-coach for the Real Wyckoff Soccer Club in the New Jersey Champions League for 25 years. Kalonji was a former player for that club. He currently coaches in the distinguished U.S. PARMA Soccer Club and the Victory Soccer Academy, training Parma's U13 and U14 teams after previously working with the U16 program.
He also served as assistant varsity boys' soccer coach at Fair Lawn High School in Bergen County from 1993-94, helping guide the Cutters to the state tournament for the first time in several decades. Current NJCU sports information director Ira Thor was a senior on the 1994 club which posted a 12-4 record.
Maneri's soccer career includes 10 years as a college soccer referee and 15 years calling high school soccer matches. He possesses an 'F' License and an adult coaching license through the United States Soccer Federation.
A 1972 graduate of Garfield (NJ) High School, he was an All-State and All-Bergen County selection as a center midfielder after scoring a remarkable 56 goals and 48 assists during his prep career with the Boilermakers. Maneri was inducted into the Garfield High School Hall of Fame in 2007. As a four-year varsity player for the Boilermakers under Coach Larry Bonito, he paced the club to the 1969 Passaic Valley Conference championship.
Outside of soccer, he is a managing partner at the ICFM Financial Group. Maneri, 57, was born in Sicily, and lived in that Italian region from 1954 to 1966. He currently resides in Fair Lawn with his wife Joann. The couple has four grown children.
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