Vicente Rodríguez
Encyclopedia
Vicente Rodríguez Guillén (biˈθente roˈðɾiɣeθ ɡiˈʎen; born 16 July 1981 in Valencia), simply Vicente, nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....

d El puñal de Benicalap (The dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...

 of Benicalap), is a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....

 in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

.

A left winger with above-average technique, pace and netting ability, his career, blighted by constant injuries, was mainly associated with Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

, for which he appeared in more than 300 official games over the course of 11 seasons.

Vicente represented Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...

 at Euro 2004, being an international during the first half of the 2000's.

Levante

A Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

 supporter since childhood, Vicente started his professional career in the community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...

, with second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...

 side Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...

, making his professional debut on 23 November 1997 against CD Leganés
CD Leganés
Club Deportivo Leganés, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team from Leganés, in the Madrid outskirts. Founded on 26 June 1928, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Estadio Municipal de Butarque, which seats 8,000 spectators....

, only 16.

He immediately attracted attention of leading teams like Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...

, Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

 and Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

 but, eventually, Valencia (and its sporting director Javier Subirats) convinced the youngster to sign for the club.

Valencia

After two seasons at Levante, Vicente signed for Valencia in the summer of 2000. Initially, his favoured position of left winger was occupied by Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 Kily González but, despite serious contention for a first-team place, he still managed to net five goals in 33 La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...

 games, adding 13 appearances in the UEFA Champions League, although he was left on the bench for the final
2001 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2001 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place at San Siro in Milan, Italy, on 23 May 2001, to decide the winner of the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League. The match pitted Bayern Munich against Valencia. The match finished in a 1–1 draw, but Bayern clinched their fourth...

 against FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....

.

The arrival of Rafael Benítez
Rafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....

 as coach in 2001–02 would mark Vicente's opportunity to prove himself, and he did not disappoint as his progress led to the club's first league title in over 30 years. While appearing in fewer games (31, with one goal), he was already first-choice, and produced similar numbers in the following campaign, netting his only goal of the season in a 3–0 home win over Recreativo de Huelva
Recreativo de Huelva
Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 23 December 1889, it is the oldest football team in Spain, and currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estadio Nuevo Colombino, which has a...

.

The 2003–04 season was Vicente's finest season with the club as his energetic efforts propelled the Che to their second league title under Benítez, adding two goals in seven outings in the club's UEFA Cup successful run, including one in the final
2004 UEFA Cup Final
The 2004 UEFA Cup Final was played on May 19, 2004 at Gothenburg, between Valencia CF of Spain and Olympique de Marseille of France. Valencia won the match 2-0 thanks to goals from Vicente and Mista...

, as he also assisted
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...

 striker Mista in the second (the pair combined for 30 league goals, 12 from Vicente, a career-best, with Francisco Rufete
Francisco Rufete
Francisco Joaquín Pérez Rufete is a Spanish footballer who plays for Hércules CF....

 pitching in from the right flank).

After an amazing year, Vicente was linked with a host of important clubs, but turned down any eventual move and signed a further four-year extension, stating: "I'm happy to remain at Valencia because I was born here and it's my home."

In 2004–05
2004–05 La Liga
2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...

, however, under the management of Claudio Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri, is an Italian football manager, currently in charge as head coach of Internazionale.He has also managed many other well-known clubs in Europe, including Cagliari, Napoli, Fiorentina, Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Parma, Juventus and Roma.-Early life:Ranieri attended St...

, his forays down the wing appeared stagnated as Ranieri opted to favour fellow Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 Emiliano Moretti
Emiliano Moretti
Emiliano Moretti is an Italian football defender, who currently plays for Genoa C.F.C..-Club career:Moretti started his career with local club Lodigiani, and in 2000 transferred to AC Fiorentina. He made his Serie A debut in March 2001, and was a member of the team that won the 2001 Coppa Italia....

 to provide support for him rather than to let him have a free role along the left. Furthermore, ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...

 injuries hindered his season and he spent much of the beginning of the season recuperating. As Vicente returned, Ranieri had already been sacked, Valencia finished seventh and he only appeared in 12 league matches to the club's starting eleven appeared to be too little too late as Ranieri was by then sacked and the club was struggling to find its once formidable form. In the following season
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...

, more of the same, as the club finished 11 points behind eventual champions FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....

 and he was again bothered by an ankle condition.

Vicente was often injured, yet again, in 2006–07, most notably in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...

 quarterfinal clash with Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...

, which ended his season. As Chelsea eventually won 3–2 on aggregate, the player only added 16 league matches, with Valencia ending fourth.

He made an impressive comeback, scoring the first goal in Valencia's 3–0 win against IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...

, in the Champions League third qualifying round, at the Estadio Mestalla.
However, another injury occurred, this time during training, and Vicente would end up spending another large spell in the sidelines, being limited to just 17 games in the league.

Disappointed, the player publicly blamed the medical staff for his continuing injuries:


"I’m very low animically. I’ve lost all confidence in the medical staff, that's it. I’ve been defending them for the last two years, but I don’t see any of this situation improving, when I’m still not recovered from one injury I get worse, or suffer from another one. They give me an injection and then I can’t move myself for a week because of the pain".

"On top of this, then they tell me maybe my injury doesn’t exist, and it is psychological. It's very hard, I can’t stand it any longer. I’ve lost all confidence in the doctor, but I don’t want to be bad to anyone, but the person who loses the most is me, because I can neither play football nor help my teammates. I only ask to play twenty minutes in one go.

"That is the worst part about it all, to know that when I have the opportunity to play with good health, things turn out well for me, and I play well, I can help the team," he concluded.


Valencia responded that they would open disciplinary proceedings against Vicente after these statements, citing: 'The club will take the necessary action against the player depending on whether his conduct is considered a 'serious' or 'very serious' offence under internal regulations'. The "injury saga" came to an end when the player was fined
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

1.200, following controversial remarks made regarding the club's medical staff.

In 2008–09, although playing fewer minutes, Vicente was able to contribute more regularly, while competing for first-choice status with young Juan Manuel Mata
Juan Manuel Mata
Juan Manuel Mata García is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea. He is mainly a left winger, but can also play on the right wing or as an attacking midfielder....

. He came from the bench in the season opener, a 3–0 home win over RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....

. Majorly used as a substitute (usually for Mata) during the campaign, he still contributed with six league goals.

Vicente's fitness problems persisted in the next season
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...

, as he only made his first appearance on 6 January 2010, replacing Mata for the final 15 minutes of a 1–2 home loss against Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...

, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....

's round of 16
2009–10 Copa del Rey
The 2009–10 Copa del Rey was the 106th staging of the Copa del Rey. The competition began on August 22, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010 with the final held at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, in which Sevilla FC lifted the trophy for the fifth time in their history with a 2–0 victory over...

; he still managed to contribute in 11 league games, slowly trying to regain his best form; aged 29, he was released from the club after a link that lasted 11 years.

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 2 September 2011, Vicente signed a one-year deal with Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...

 side Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....

. On the 21st, he made his official debut for the club, in a 1–2 home loss against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

 for the season
2011–12 Football League Cup
The 2011–12 Football League Cup, known as the Carling Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by lager brand Carling, is the 52nd season of the Football League Cup, a knock-out competition for England's top 92 football clubs...

's Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

, winning a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...

 which resulted in the Ashley Barnes
Ashley Barnes
Ashley Luke Barnes is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker, having previously played for Paulton Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Oxford United, Salisbury City, Eastbourne Borough and Torquay United...

 goal.

Vicente scored his first goal for Brighton in a 1–3 away defeat against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....

, on 1 October 2011.

International career

Vicente made his debut for Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...

 in a friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...

 against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...

 on 28 March 2001, replacing Pedro Munitis
Pedro Munitis
Pedro Munitis Álvarez is a Spanish footballer who plays for Racing de Santander usually as a forward, although he can also operate as winger....

 in the 70th munite of a 2–1 win at Mestalla. He was overlooked for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...

 co-hosted by South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

 and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

Vicente appeared in his first major tournament at the UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

, playing in three complete group stage outings, although the Furia Rojas insipid performances eventually meant an early exit. Constant injuries would mean he would also fail to make the final cut for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...

, Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...

.

Honours

Team Award Year(s)
  Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

 
Spanish League
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...

 
2001–02, 2003–04
  Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

 
UEFA Cup  2003–04
  Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

 
UEFA Super Cup  2004
2004 UEFA Super Cup
The 2004 UEFA Super Cup was a UEFA-sponsored association football match between Porto of Portugal and Valencia of Spain, held on 27 August 2004 at the Stade Louis II in Monaco. The match was the 29th annual UEFA Super Cup contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup...

  Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

 
Spanish Cup
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....

 
2007–08

Club statistics

Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Levante
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...

1997–98 3 1 0 0 3 1
1998–99 16 1 2 0 18 1
1999–00 35 7 1 0 36 7
Total 54930Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

2000–01 33 5 2 1 13 0 48 6
2001–02 31 1 1 0 7 1 39 2
2002–03 28 1 0 0 11 0 39 1
2003–04 33 12 2 0 7 2 42 14
2004–05
2004–05 La Liga
2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...

12 3 0 0 3 2 15 5
2005–06
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...

21 3 1 0 0 0 22 3
2006–07 16 4 0 0 5 0 21 4
2007–08 17 0 4 1 4 1 25 2
2008–09 27 6 6 4 5 0 38 10
2009–10
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...

11 0 1 0 1 0 13 0
2010–11
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...

13 1 3 2 1 0 17 3
Total 2423620857631950
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....

2011–12
2011–12 Football League Championship
The 2011–12 Football League Championship is the eighth season of the league under its current title and nineteenth season under its current league division format....

4 1 1 0 0 0 5 1
Total 41100051
Career totals 3004624857638160

Personal life

Vicente's longtime girlfriend Mar gave birth to their daughter Blanca, on the night of 25 March 2009.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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