Jordi Roura Explained

Jordi Roura
Fullname:Jordi Roura Solà
Birth Date:10 September 1967
Birth Place:Llagostera, Spain
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:1982–1986
Youthclubs1:Barcelona
Years1:1984–1991
Caps1:65
Goals1:4
Years2:1985–1987
Caps2:10
Goals2:2
Years3:1988–1992
Caps3:10
Goals3:0
Years4:1991–1992
Clubs4:Murcia (loan)
Caps4:11
Goals4:1
Years5:1992–1993
Caps5:13
Goals5:0
Years6:1994
Caps6:11
Goals6:3
Totalcaps:120
Totalgoals:10
Manageryears1:1996–1998
Managerclubs1:Yokohama Flügels (assistant)
Manageryears2:2007
Managerclubs2:Hospitalet
Manageryears3:2012–2014
Managerclubs3:Barcelona (assistant)
Manageryears4:2013
Managerclubs4:Barcelona (interim)

Jordi Roura Solà (born 10 September 1967) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a midfielder.

Playing career

Born in Llagostera, Girona, Catalonia, Roura arrived at FC Barcelona's La Masia in the summer of 1982, aged 15. He made his first senior appearance two years later (whilst still a junior), playing 90 minutes for the B team in a 4–0 away win against Real Madrid Castilla and going on to spend two full seasons with the side in the Segunda División, being relegated in 1989.

Roura made his La Liga debut on 11 September 1988 in a 3–0 victory at Elche CF,[1] under Johan Cruyff, but a serious injury to his right knee in the 1989 European Super Cup against AC Milan severely hindered his growth as a footballer. He went on to appear in only nine additional league matches for the remainder of his spell at the Camp Nou.[2]

Released by the Blaugrana in 1991, Roura resumed his career in the second tier, being relegated with both Real Murcia and UE Figueres[3] and continuing to be bothered by physical problems.[2] He retired in June 1994 at only 26, after half a season with lowly UE Sant Andreu.[4]

Coaching career

Roura's first job as a coach was in Japan, being part of fellow former Barcelona player Carles Rexach's staff at Yokohama Flügels in the late 90s.[5] [2] Subsequently, he worked in directorial capacities with another club in his native region, Terrassa FC, remaining in that position until 2007.

Roura spent the early part of the 2007–08 season at the helm of CE L'Hospitalet in the Segunda División B, being fired in late December 2007[6] as his side eventually suffered relegation. In 2009, he was part of the Barcelona team of observers in Pep Guardiola's technical staff; in the following three years, he was in charge of analysing the rivals.[2]

On 30 June 2012, after Guardiola's departure, Roura replaced his lifelong friend Tito Vilanova as Barcelona's assistant manager, as the latter was promoted to head coaching duties.[7] [2] On 19 December he took over on an interim basis, when it was learned the former had suffered a recurrence of parotid gland cancer that would need surgery the following day; according to the club, he would be in charge for approximately six weeks whilst Vilanova was in chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.[8]

Notes and References

  1. News: Este Barça no perdona. No-mercy Barça. Mundo Deportivo. es. 12 September 1988. 16 September 2012.
  2. Web site: Jordi Roura: From the Masia to the first-team bench. FC Barcelona. Clos. Jordi. 15 June 2012. 19 August 2012.
  3. News: Figueres: Roura y Ramón, los dos primeros fichajes. Figueres: Roura and Ramón, two first signings. Mundo Deportivo. Casademont. Emili. es. 15 July 1992. 16 September 2012.
  4. News: El ex azulgrana Roura llega a un acuerdo con el Sant Andreu. Ex azulgrana Roura reaches agreement with Sant Andreu. Mundo Deportivo. es. 31 January 1994. 9 November 2020.
  5. News: La J-League habla español. The J-League speaks Spanish. Mundo Deportivo. es. 21 March 1998. 23 February 2021.
  6. News: El 'Hospi' echa a Roura y el Sabadell ficha a Cazorla. 'Hospi' sack Roura and Sabadell sign Cazorla. Mundo Deportivo. es. 28 December 2007. 16 September 2012.
  7. News: Jordi Roura: de la sala de vídeo al banquillo. Jordi Roura: from the video room to the bench. Diario AS. Ricky. Romero. es. 11 June 2012. 16 September 2012.
  8. Web site: Tito Vilanova to undergo surgery this Thursday. FC Barcelona. 19 December 2012. 19 December 2012.