Rowley raises a
storm with Tsunami

The former coach says his credit
is nearly ruined because of them

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Andrew Rowley, the most successful coach in the four-year history of the financially struggling Hawaii Tsunami soccer club, said last night that the team nearly ruined his credit record by not reimbursing him for more $10,000 in credit card charges.

Rowley, who led the Tsunami to division championships in the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues in 1995 and 1996 but did not return this season, said the team's failure to live up to agreements made in his contract have led him to file suit to recover money owed him, plus damages.

"The $10,000 is a fabrication in his mind," said an angry Tsunami general manager Manny Menendez in response. Menendez alleged it is Rowley who owes the team money -- thousands of dollars for bills run up on personal telephone calls, pay-per-view movies and room service during his stay at the Outrigger Ala Wai Tower Hotel.

The hotel room was provided Rowley by Outrigger chief executive officer David Carey, a major Tsunami investor, as part of the terms of his coaching the team. Rowley said he ran a lot of team operations from there.

"I had it in my contract that all expenses would be reimbursed within two weeks of the time they were incurred," said Rowley. "But that didn't happen."

Rowley said that the Tsunami paid him only $2,200 for the whole season, including expenses.

He said none of his players was paid.

Menendez said that with salary, money made from Tsunami soccer camps, and personal bills the Tsunami paid for him, Rowley probably made at least $25,000.

Rowley, per contract, was entitled to 100 percent of the revenue generated from the camps.

But he said he made only a few hundred dollars on the camps.

Menendez, on the other hand, said he has letters from irate parents who claim Rowley failed to live up to agreements to provide soccer balls and T-shirts for their children at the camps.

The lawsuit, which was filed April 22 in the superior court of Sonoma County, Calif., was served on May 4.

Menendez said last night he did not know anything about the suit until a day ago, despite the fact that the Honolulu law firm of Kobayashi, Sugita and Gada responded to the serving on his behalf in a letter dated June 2.