Khano Smith has been appointed head coach and general manager of United Soccer League Championship expansion team Rhode Island FC.

The New England-based club has announced that the former Bermuda, New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls forward will oversee roster development and manage the technical staff and team operations along with head coaching duties.

“I am honoured and humbled to be back in New England. I’m excited to build a winning culture with Rhode Island FC,” Smith said on the club’s website.

“Rhode Islanders deserve a team they can call their own and I intend to build a side that every Rhode Islander will be proud of.

“I’m incredibly thankful to Brett Johnson, my former team-mate Michael Parkhurst and the entire Rhode Island FC team for having trust in me and my approach to the beautiful game.”

Johnson, the club’s chairman and co-founder, has equally high expectations for Smith, whose services he is grateful to have secured.

“Khano Smith is one of the brightest and fastest-rising coaching talents in North American soccer, ” Johnson said. “He has a well-earned reputation among his peers for getting the most out of his players and building a culture of excellence. We’re incredibly fortunate to have him in Rhode Island.

“Khano will establish a winning tradition on the pitch and he’ll be an ambassador to Rhode Island’s amazing soccer community. I am confident that he will lead our soccer operations in the right direction and help build a strong foundation for success.”

Echoing Johnson’s sentiments, club president Brett Luy added: “Khano is one of the most reputable and sought-after coaching talents in the North American soccer landscape.

“We are fortunate to have him in Rhode Island. His addition is another positive development for our club as we build it piece-by-piece and head towards 2024.”

Rhode Island FC officially joined the USL Championship in December of 2019 and will make their league debut next year and Smith is due to move there later this month when he completes his obligations as assistant head coach of Rhode Island’s league rivals Birmingham Legion.

The former Dandy Town player comes highly qualified for the job as he holds a Uefa B coaching badge, a US Soccer professional coaching licence, a masters in Sports Management and has also spent seven years as an assistant coach in both the National Women’s Soccer League and the United Soccer League Championship.

Smith made more than 100 appearances as a player during a six-year stint in Major League Soccer, scoring eight goals in 100 appearances for the Revolution, whom he helped to reach successive MLS Cup final, and found the net ten times in 33 appearances for the national team he also led as captain.

“I played alongside Khano for four seasons with New England Revolution and saw personally how fierce a competitor and how loyal a team-mate he is,” Parkhurst said.

“Khano hits the mark on all the attributes we were looking for in a coach and there is no one better equipped than him to create the opening chapters of a storied winning tradition for Rhode Island FC.”

Smith’s ultimate goal is to one day coach in MLS.

“It’s always been a dream and an ambition of mine to coach in MLS,” he told The Royal Gazette in a recent interview.

“I am working in the second tier now and don’t ever want to limit myself, so the logical step would be to hopefully work at a MLS club someday.”