Albert Roca Explained

Albert Roca
Fullname:Albert Roca Pujol
Birth Date:20 October 1962
Birth Place:Granollers, Spain
Position:Centre-back
Currentclub:Bengaluru FC (technical consultant)
Years1:1982–1983
Clubs1:Hospitalet
Caps1:21
Goals1:1
Years2:1983–1984
Clubs2:Sabadell
Caps2:34
Goals2:0
Years3:1984–1986
Clubs3:Zaragoza B
Caps3:67
Goals3:2
Years4:1986
Clubs4:Zaragoza
Caps4:1
Goals4:0
Years5:1986–1987
Clubs5:Sabadell
Caps5:26
Goals5:1
Years6:1987–1988
Clubs6:Zaragoza
Caps6:4
Goals6:0
Years7:1988–1990
Clubs7:Atlético Madrileño
Caps7:55
Goals7:3
Years8:1990–1992
Clubs8:Palamós
Caps8:17
Goals8:0
Totalcaps:225
Totalgoals:7
Manageryears1:1997–1998
Managerclubs1:Europa (assistant)
Manageryears2:1998–1999
Managerclubs2:Europa
Manageryears3:1999–2000
Managerclubs3:Manlleu
Manageryears4:2001–2003
Managerclubs4:Sabadell (assistant)
Manageryears5:2003–2008
Managerclubs5:Barcelona (assistant)
Manageryears6:2009–2010
Managerclubs6:Galatasaray (assistant)
Manageryears7:2011–2013
Managerclubs7:Saudi Arabia (assistant)
Manageryears8:2014–2015
Managerclubs8:El Salvador
Manageryears9:2016–2018
Managerclubs9:Bengaluru
Manageryears10:2020
Managerclubs10:Hyderabad
Manageryears11:2020–2021
Managerclubs11:Barcelona (assistant)
Manageryears12:2023–
Managerclubs12:Bengaluru (Technical Consultant)

Albert Roca Pujol (born 20 October 1962) is a Spanish professional football manager and former footballer. He currently works as the Technical Consultant for Indian Super League club Bengaluru FC.[1]

Playing career

Born in Granollers, Barcelona, Catalonia, Roca spent most of his career with clubs in his native region, starting out at CE L'Hospitalet in the Segunda División B. In 1984 he signed for Real Zaragoza, being assigned to the B team also in that league and helping them promote to the Segunda División in his first season.

Roca's input at the professional level consisted of 75 games and three goals in the second tier with Zaragoza B, Atlético Madrid B and Palamós CF, and 31 matches and one goal in La Liga with Zaragoza and CE Sabadell CF. He scored his only goal in the latter competition on 8 March 1987, in a 3–1 away loss against RCD Español whilst playing for the latter side.[2]

Roca retired at the end of the 1991–92 campaign, aged 29.

Coaching career

Roca began working as a head coach in 1998, at CE Europa in the Tercera División. He won the Copa Catalunya against FC Barcelona, before switching to neighbouring club AEC Manlleu the following year.[3]

In 2001, Roca joined Sabadell's coaching staff, leaving two years later for Barcelona under newly appointed Frank Rijkaard. The pair went on to work together at Galatasaray SK and the Saudi Arabia national team.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

On 12 May 2014, Roca was appointed as manager of El Salvador.[9] [10] His first game in charge occurred on 4 June at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, ending with a 1–2 friendly defeat to Ivory Coast.[11] His first win came against the Dominican Republic in another exhibition match, on 30 August (2–0).[12]

Roca returned to club duties on 6 July 2016, signing a two-year contract with I-League champions Bengaluru FC.[13] They immediately proceeded to reach the final of the AFC Cup, becoming the first team in the country to achieve the feat but eventually losing 1–0 to Iraq's Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.[14] [15] Subsequently, and still under his guidance, the side won the 2016–17 edition of the Federation Cup[16] and reached the finals in the Indian Super League.[17] [18]

On 12 January 2020, Roca became head coach of Hyderabad FC also in the Indian top flight.[19] [20] He returned to Barcelona in August after agreeing to terminate his two-year contract, as fitness coach under newly appointed Ronald Koeman.[21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Release . Press . 2023-01-30 . ISL 2023: Albert Roca join Bengaluru FC as new Technical Consultant - Check Out . 2023-01-30 . www.insidesport.in . en-US . 30 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230130133443/https://www.insidesport.in/isl-2023-albert-roca-returns-to-indian-football-leaves-fc-barcelona-to-join-bengaluru-fc-as-new-technical-consultant-check-out/ . live .
  2. News: 3–1: No hay fronteras para este Español. 3–1: There's no stopping this Español. Mundo Deportivo. Manuel. Tarín Alonso. es. 9 March 1987. 24 February 2018. 5 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180905023241/http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1987/03/09/pagina-11/1152662/pdf.html. live.
  3. Web site: A look at Bengaluru FC's new manager Albert Roca. Sportskeeda. Arvind. Sriram. 28 July 2016. 13 January 2020. 13 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200113125031/https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/look-at-bengaluru-fcs-new-manager-albert-roca. live.
  4. News: Albert Roca: "Nunca pudimos determinar que producía las lesiones de cruzados". Albert Roca: "We could never determine what was causing the cruciate injuries". Sport. Xavier. Ortuño. es. 15 February 2010. 15 August 2016. 28 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160428000837/http://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/albert-roca-nunca-pudimos-determinar-que-producia-las-lesiones-cruzados-857317. live.
  5. News: Albert Roca: "Tener lesiones es normal". Albert Roca: "It's normal to sustain injuries". Mundo Deportivo. Manel. Bruña. es. 28 February 2010. 15 August 2016. 11 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160811024500/http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20100228/albert-roca-tener-lesiones-es-normal_53896280983.html. live.
  6. News: El Galatasaray destituye a Rijkaard. Galatasaray dismiss Rijkaard. Marca. Memet. Çiftçi. es. 20 October 2010. 15 August 2016. 24 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160424204604/http://www.marca.com/2010/10/20/futbol/futbol_internacional/1287567902.html. live.
  7. News: Arabia Saudí, con mando culé. Saudi Arabia, culés in charge. Mundo Deportivo. es. 24 August 2011. 15 August 2016. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304235222/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD03/PUB/2011/08/24/EMD20110824017MDI.pdf. live.
  8. Web site: Arabia Saudí, territorio "español". Saudi Arabia, "Spanish" territory. Vavel. Álvaro. Alonso Filgueira. es. 7 September 2012. 16 May 2014. 2 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402141327/http://www.vavel.com/es/futbol/seleccionespanola/185055-arabia-saudi-territorio-espanol.html. live.
  9. Web site: Roca presented as El Salvador's new head coach. CONCACAF. 12 May 2014. 16 May 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050219/http://www.concacaf.com/article/roca-presented-as-el-salvadors-new-head-coach. 4 March 2016. dmy-all.
  10. News: Albert Roca suena para entrenar otra vez a una selección nacional. Albert Roca poised to coach a national team again. El Gráfico. Alfredo. Duarte. es. 5 February 2018. 10 January 2020. 6 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180206050932/https://www.elgrafico.com/futbol/Albert-Roca-suena-para-entrenar-otra-vez-a-una-seleccion-nacional-20180205-0018.html. live.
  11. News: Drogba y Gervinho acaban con El Salvador. Drogba and Gervinho finish El Salvador. Marca. es. 5 June 2014. 15 August 2016. 1 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151001230904/http://www.marca.com/2014/06/05/futbol/mundial/costa_marfil/1401957297.html. live.
  12. Web site: La Selecta vence 2–0 a Dominicana. Selecta defeat Dominican 2–0. ElSalvador.com. es. 30 August 2014. 10 January 2020. 14 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414170504/https://historico.elsalvador.com/historico/275846/la-selecta-vence-2-0-a-dominicana.html. live.
  13. Web site: Albert Roca appointed as Bengaluru FC coach. Bengaluru FC. 6 July 2016. 6 July 2016. 9 July 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160709064110/http://www.bengalurufc.com/albert-roca-appointed-as-bengaluru-fc-coach/. live.
  14. Web site: AFC Cup final preview: JSW Bengaluru FC vs Air Force Club. Fox Sports Asia. November 2016. 23 February 2018. 24 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180224112851/http://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/543442/afc-cup-final-preview-jsw-bengaluru-fc-vs-air-force-club/. live.
  15. News: Bengaluru FC go down to Iraq Air Force Club in AFC Cup final. India Today. 6 November 2016. 23 February 2018. 24 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180224121506/https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/bengaluru-fc-afc-cup-final-sunil-chhetri-350426-2016-11-06. live.
  16. News: Federation Cup: Bengaluru FC beat Mohun Bagan 2–0, win title. India Today. 21 May 2017. 23 February 2018. 24 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180224113121/https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/federation-cup-bengaluru-fc-mohun-bagan-ck-vineeth-978397-2017-05-21. live.
  17. Web site: Bengaluru FC storm into Indian Super League semifinals. Bengaluru FC. 9 February 2018. 23 February 2018. 24 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180224054739/http://www.bengalurufc.com/bengaluru-fc-storm-indian-super-league-semifinals-2/. live.
  18. News: Indian Super League final shifted to Bengaluru from Kolkata. The Times of India. 8 March 2018. 21 March 2018. 9 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180309000636/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/indian-super-league/top-stories/indian-super-league-final-shifted-to-bengaluru-from-kolkata/articleshow/63221565.cms. live.
  19. News: ISL: Albert Roca to take full charge of Hyderabad FC from 2020–21 season. The Hindu. 12 January 2020. 13 January 2020. 13 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200113115840/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/isl/isl-albert-roca-appointed-hyderabad-fc-coach-two-year-contract-2020-21-season-bengaluru-fc/article30550078.ece. live.
  20. Web site: Ex-Bengaluru FC manager Albert Roca appointed as coach of Hyderabad FC. News 18. 12 January 2020. 13 January 2020. 13 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200113003802/https://www.news18.com/news/football/ex-bengaluru-fc-manager-albert-roca-appointed-as-coach-of-hyderabad-fc-2455485.html. live.
  21. Web site: Hyderabad FC part ways with Albert Roca as FC Barcelona come calling. Hyderabad FC. 29 August 2020. 29 August 2020. 17 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210117035719/https://hyderabadfc.co.in/2020/announcement/hyderabad-fc-part-ways-with-albert-roca-as-fc-barcelona-come-calling/. live.