SAM PIRAINE – Head Coach
Sam Piraine will lead the Detroit City FC women’s team. Piraine brings a vast array of experience to the job, coaching both high school and semi-pro soccer since 2002. He currently serves as Technical Director for Detroit City FC Youth West.
Piraine played four years of college soccer at Madonna University where he was a two-time Conference Player of the Year and a 4-time college All-American. After college, Piraine played professionally for the Cincinnati Riverhawks of the now-defunct A-League.
He resides in Canton, Michigan with his wife Kristen and two children, Ava and Nicholas.
Dragoi returns to the club after spending part of his playing career with the men’s team – most recently in 2016 while the club competed in the NPSL. Dragoi played for three clubs in the Albanian Superliga and with AS VARESE CALCIO in Italy’s third division before kicking off his coaching career. Along with his role with the women’s side, Dragoi is a coach with DCFC Youth West.
Perilla comes to the women’s side as the goalkeepers coach – holding the same role with the men’s first team and the Academy program. Perilla first came to Detroit City in 2020 after starting his coaching career in 2007. He was named to United Soccer Coaches’ 30 Under 30 in 2014 – having played and worked with multiple professional clubs and coached locally in the youth, high school, and collegiate ranks. Perilla spent time coaching at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center and the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
McManus joins Piraine’s staff while also leading the club’s youth and academy efforts as the Director of Youth Development. McManus first came to City in 2021 after spending six years with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer. While with Sporting KC, McManus worked in various roles leading the club’s youth programs. McManus served on staff under Will Dyer at Lawrence Tech University this past year, leading the program’s second team and assisting with the first team.
