Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Rajinder Singh Virdee | ||
Date of birth | 4 February 1953 | ||
Place of birth | Nairobi, Kenya | ||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) [1] | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Youth career | |||
Wolverhampton Wanderers | |||
Ipswich Town | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1972 | Vancouver Spartans | 25 | (1) |
1972–1973 | Montreal Olympique | 25 | (1) |
1974 | Miami Toros | 10 | (0) |
1975–1977 | St. Louis Stars | (0) | |
1978 | San Jose Earthquakes | 9 | (0) |
1979 | Cleveland Cobras | ||
1979 | Columbus Magic | ||
1980 | Phoenix Fire | 0 | (0) |
1980–1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 38 | (2) |
Total | 141+ | (3+) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Roger Verdi (born Rajinder Singh Virdee on 4 February 1953) is an English retired professional footballer who spent his entire career in North America, making over 100 league appearances in the North American Soccer League.
Verdi was born on 4 February 1953, [1] [2] as Rajinder Singh Virdee in Nairobi, Kenya, to Indian Sikh parents. [3] He was the youngest of their two sons. [4] The family moved to England when Verdi was aged seven, settling in Smethwick. [4] He attended Sandwell Boys school. [4]
Verdi changed his name due to racism. [4] He went by 'Roger Jones' and 'Roger Jones Verdi' before settling on 'Roger Verdi'. [4]
Verdi played with the youth teams of both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, [4] but failing to get a professional contract with either team, moved to North America. [5]
Verdi began his career in Canada with the Vancouver Spartans. [4]
Verdi played in the NASL between 1972 and 1978 for the Montreal Olympique, Miami Toros, St. Louis Stars and San Jose Earthquakes, making a total of 103 league appearances. [1] He later played in the ASL for the Cleveland Cobras, Columbus Magic, and the Phoenix Fire, and in the MISL for Phoenix Inferno. [1]
After his playing career ended he moved into coaching, holding assistant coaching positions with Athlone Town FC, Stockport County, Phoenix Inferno and Cleveland Cobras. Other coaching positions include Co-director for Hubert Vogelsinger Soccer Academy in Texas, Connecticut and California and has been the Technical Director for youth clubs in Washington, New Mexico. He joined DFW Tornados as a coach in 2010. [6]
He is also the owner of the Roger Verdi International Soccer Academy. [6]
Verdi retired to Dallas, Texas, working in construction. [4]
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the United States. The league final was called the Soccer Bowl from 1975 to 1983 and the Soccer Bowl Series in its final year, 1984. The league was headed by Commissioner Phil Woosnam from 1969 to 1983. The NASL laid the foundations for soccer in the United States that helped lead to the country hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup and setting up Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.
The New York Cosmos were an American professional soccer club based in New York City and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York, including Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium in nearby East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the club remained for the rest of its history.
The Cleveland Stokers were a soccer team based in Cleveland, Ohio that played in the United Soccer Association during 1967 and the North American Soccer League in 1968. Their home field was Cleveland Stadium.
James Gabriel was a Scottish football defensive midfielder and defender who earned two caps with the Scotland national football team. Chiefly associated with English clubs Everton and Southampton, Gabriel played extensively in Scotland and England before ending his career with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League. He then became a coach in both England and the United States.
Kai Haaskivi is a retired Finnish soccer player. He starred in the North American Soccer League, playing outdoor as well as indoor soccer. He also played for the Finland national football team. He now coaches in the United States.
Rildo da Costa Menezes, also known as Rildo, was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a defender.
Al Miller is an American former collegiate and professional soccer coach. After leaving coaching, he then became a general manager for two indoor soccer clubs in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
George Nanchoff is a retired Yugoslavian-American soccer player. He spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League and seven seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned ten caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team between 1979 and 1980.
Michael James Barry is a former professional football midfielder. Barry was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Hank Liotart is a Dutch-American former soccer player. Liotart played one season in the National Professional Soccer League, eight in the North American Soccer League and at least one in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also played eight years in the Netherlands. Liotart earned four caps with the U.S. national team in 1975.
Michael Lawrence Renshaw was a soccer player who played as a left winger. He began as a youth player with Blackpool before moving to the United States to join the Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer League in 1968. He also spent time with Margate F.C. and Rhyl F.C. Born in England, he earned two caps with the United States national team in 1973 despite not being a U.S. citizen at the time. Finally, he coached the Dallas Tornado in 1981.
Kyriakos "Koulis" Apostolidis is a Greek former footballer. He began his career in the North American Soccer League and finished it with PAOK Thessaloniki in Greece. Apostolidis lead the NASL in goals in 1971 and later earned six caps with the Greece national football team. He has also coached in the Greek First Division, most recently with PAOK Thessaloniki FC.
Oliver Albert George Ley is an English former footballer who played professionally in both England and the United States.
Leroy DeLeon is a Trinidad and Tobago retired footballer who played as a striker in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.
Roy Sinclair was an English professional football midfielder. He spent eleven seasons in the lower English divisions before moving to the United States where he played in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.
Rubén Astigarraga is a retired Argentine soccer forward who played in the North American Soccer League, second and third American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League, American Indoor Soccer Association and National Soccer League of Chicago.
Alan Kelley is an English former professional footballer who played as a fullback. Kelley, who was active in both England and the United States, made over 150 career appearances.
Adrian Webster was an English football player and coach who played in England, Canada and the United States.
North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. Beginning in 1975, the league final was called the Soccer Bowl.