Rosario Central

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For the former train station, see Rosario Central Station.
Rosario Central
Rosario Central Crest
Full name Club Atlético Rosario Central
Nickname(s) Los Canallas (The scoundrels)
La Academia rosarina (The Rosario's Academy)
Founded December 24, 1889
Ground Estadio Gigante de Arroyito
Rosario, Santa Fe
(Capacity 41,654)
Chairman Horacio Usandizaga
Manager Leonardo Madelón
League Argentine Primera División
Apertura 2007 20th
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Away colours

Club Atlético Rosario Central (usually simply Central) is a football club in Rosario, Argentina. It is the 6th. most popular team in the country [1] [2] Central plays the Rosario derby against Newell's Old Boys, club which has with a huge historical rivalry.

Contents

[edit] History

The Central Argentine Railway Athletic Club was founded in December 24, 1889 by English railway workers of the British-owned Central Argentine Railway company. The first president was Colin Calder, and all club activities were carried out in the English language. When the company took over the Buenos Aires and Rosario Railway company in 1903, the name of the club was formally changed to Club Atlético Rosario Central.

The original jersey colors were red and white; later, the club would change to a checkered blue and white, and finally settle on the blue and gold vertical stripes design used to this day.

The team played in the local Rosario league until it joined the Argentine league in 1939 together with rivals Newell's Old Boys.

Rosario Central was relegated in 1942 and again in 1951; both times, it was promoted on the very next season.

Former crest
Former crest

Rosario Central won the Nacional championship in 1971 with Angel Labruna as coach, and again in 1973, being the first of many such achievements won by the coach Carlos Timoteo Griguol.

For the 1974 season, Central acquired striker Mario Kempes from Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba (Kempes and Instituto mate Osvaldo Ardiles were to be reunited in the national team that won the 1978 World Cup).

Even though the winning of the Campeonato Argentino 1974 was not considered official by the AFA, it is considered by Central's supporters to be their "sixth" championship.

After seven years whitout titles, Central won the 1980 Nacional with veteran Ángel Tulio Zof on the bench. That team was called "La Sinfónica" (the symphony orchestra) because they played very good, beautiful football.

After a few years with bad seasons, the team was relegated in 1985, but returned to first division the following year, and won the 1986/87 Championship. This was a first in Argentine football (oddly, Central Español performed a similar feat in Uruguay in the years 1983/84, also a first).

In 1995 Rosario Central won their only international title to date, the CONMEBOL Cup (the precurssor of the current Copa Sudamericana).

It has participated in ten editions of the Copa Libertadores, third behind Boca Juniors and River Plate.

Even though the badge shows 6 stars, Rosario Central has only won 5 official championships (4 national and one international). The sixth one (the Argentino 1974 achievement) was added in the 115 anniversary of the institution, two weeks after their biggest rival, Newell's Old Boys, won their fifth championship in 2004.

[edit] Stadium

Rosario Central fans display a gigantic banner
Rosario Central fans display a gigantic banner

Rosario Central plays in the Gigante de Arroyito stadium, located in the confluence of Avellaneda Boulevard and Génova Avenue, in the Lisandro de la Torre neighborhood (popularly known as Arroyito), in north-east Rosario.

It has an official capacity of 41,654, but crowds of 45,000 have been accommodated after it underwent major conditioning for the 1978 World Cup held in Argentina.

In that tournament, all three second-round games of the Argentine squad were played in the Gigante. Local hero Kempes enjoyed the support of the fans and went on to become the top scorer of the tournament.

[edit] Nicknames

Central's common nickname is canallas ("scoundrels", which is a rather mild insult in Argentina) because it is said that they refused to play a charity match for a leprosy clinic in the 1920s; rival side Newell's acquired their leprosos (lepers) nickname when they did play in that event.

Rosario Central team picture from 1919
Rosario Central team picture from 1919

In a January 2007 press conference presenting the new jersey, Rosario native Roberto Fontanarrosa revised the definition and spelling of Central's nickname. The new spelling he gave was canaya, because according to him, people from the city of Rosario don't use the Spanish word canalla for any other reason than referring to the club.

Central are also known as La Academia (like the Argentine team Racing Club) due to the amount of players that become professional from their youth teams, and to the amount of consecutive Rosario's League titles that the club won in the amateur era, in comparison to Racing Club (called La Academia), that won a lot of championships in the Buenos Aires´ League at the same time too.

[edit] Honours

[edit] Professional league titles

[edit] Amateur tournaments

  • Concurso por Eliminación: (1) 1913
  • Copa Dr. Carlos Ibarguren: (1) 1915
  • Copa de Honor:(1) 1916
  • Copa de Competencia Jockey Club: (1)1916
  • Copa de Competencia: (1)1920

[edit] International Titles

[edit] Players

[edit] Current Squad

As of Torneo Clausura 2008

No. Position Player
1 Flag of Argentina GK Cristian Álvarez
2 Flag of Argentina DF Ramiro Fassi
4 Flag of Argentina DF Abel Espinoza
5 Flag of Argentina MF Cristian "Kily" González (captain)
6 Flag of Bolivia DF Ronald Raldes (vice-captain)
7 Flag of Argentina MF Emiliano Papa
8 Flag of Argentina MF Tomas Costa
9 Flag of Colombia FW Martín Arzuaga
10 Flag of Argentina MF Damián Díaz
11 Flag of Argentina FW Gonzalo Belloso (vice-captain)
12 Flag of Argentina GK Jorge Broun
13 Flag of Argentina DF Andrés Imperiale
15 Flag of Argentina MF Lucas Moya
16 Flag of Argentina MF Jesús Méndez
17 Flag of Argentina FW Milton Caraglio
18 Flag of Argentina FW José Vizcarra
19 Flag of Argentina FW Emilio Zelaya
20 Flag of Argentina DF Walter Ribonetto
21 Flag of Argentina MF Diego Calgaro
No. Position Player
23 Flag of Argentina MF Mariano Messera
24 Flag of Argentina MF Leonardo Borzani
25 Flag of Argentina GK Hernán Castellano
26 Flag of Argentina DF Martín García
27 Flag of Argentina DF Alexis Danelón
28 Flag of Argentina DF Diego Braghieri
29 Flag of Argentina DF Mario Paglialunga
30 Flag of Argentina DF Gabriel Casas
31 Flag of Argentina FW Nahuel Valentini
32 Flag of Argentina MF Emanuel García
33 Flag of Argentina DF Leandro Gurrieri
34 Flag of Argentina FW Gonzalo Castillejos
Flag of Argentina MF Gervasio Núñez
Flag of Argentina FW Claudio Velazquez
Flag of Uruguay FW Maximiliano Pérez
Flag of Argentina DF Ignacio Boggino
Flag of Argentina DF Emiliano Capella
Flag of Argentina FW Gonzalo De Porras
Flag of Argentina MF Omar Medina
Flag of Argentina DF Víctor Gutiérrez

[edit] Notable former players

see also Cat:Rosario Central footballers

[edit] Famous Supporters

[edit] External links

[edit] References