Roger Verdi

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Roger Verdi
Personal information
Full name Rajinder Singh Virdee
Date of birth (1953-02-04) 4 February 1953 (age 68)
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 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+)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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.

Early life[]

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 .[4]

Verdi changed his name due to racism.[3] He went by 'Roger Jones' and 'Roger Jones Verdi' before settling on 'Roger Verdi'.[4]

Career[]

England[]

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]

North America[]

Verdi began his career in Canada with the .[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]

Coaching career[]

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]

Later life[]

Verdi retired to Dallas, Texas, working in construction.[4]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/V/Verdi.Roger.htm
  2. ^ 1977 St. Louis Stars (NASL) media guide
  3. ^ a b Harmit Singh Kamboe (June 2007). "Interview with Roger Verdi". IndianFootball.com. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Roger Verdi: Marking Pele and playing darts with George Best". BBC Sport. 3 April 2019.
  5. ^ Shamya Dasgupta (31 August 2003). "He played against Pele, Best, Banks, now he wants to coach here". IndianExpress.com. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
  6. ^ a b DFW Tornados. "DFW Tornados Coaches". www.dfwtornados.org. Archived from the original on 6 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
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