Vicente as a Valencia player |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Vicente Rodríguez Guillén | ||
| Date of birth | 16 July 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Valencia, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Benicalap | |||
| Levante | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–2000 | Levante | 54 | (9) |
| 2000–2011 | Valencia | 243 | (36) |
| 2011– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 4 | (1) |
| National team | |||
| 1997–1998 | Spain U16 | 11 | (1) |
| 1998–1999 | Spain U17 | 15 | (6) |
| 1999–2000 | Spain U18 | 7 | (1) |
| 2000–2001 | Spain U21 | 11 | (1) |
| 2001–2005 | Spain | 38 | (3) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Vicente Rodríguez Guillén (Spanish pronunciation: [biˈθente roˈðɾiɣeθ ɡiˈʎen]; born 16 July 1981 in Valencia), simply Vicente, nicknamed El puñal de Benicalap (The dagger of Benicalap), is a Spanish footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion in England.
A left winger with outstanding technique, pace and netting ability, his career, blighted by constant injuries,[1][2][3][4][5][6] was mainly associated with Valencia, for which he appeared in more than 300 official games over the course of 11 seasons.
Vicente represented Spain at Euro 2004, being an international during the first half of the 2000's.
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A Valencia CF supporter since childhood, Vicente started his professional career in the community, with second division side Levante UD, making his professional debut on 23 November 1997 against CD Leganés, only 16.
He immediately attracted attention of leading teams like Arsenal, Valencia CF and Real Madrid but, eventually, Valencia (and its sporting director Javier Subirats) convinced the youngster to sign for the club.
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 Kily González but, despite serious contention for a first-team place, he still managed to net five goals in 33 La Liga games, adding 13 appearances in the UEFA Champions League, although he was left on the bench for the final against FC Bayern Munich.
The arrival of Rafael Benítez 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.
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, as he also assisted striker Mista in the second (the pair combined for 30 league goals, 12 from Vicente, a career-best, with Francisco Rufete 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."[7]
In 2004–05, however, under the management of Claudio Ranieri, his forays down the wing appeared stagnated as Ranieri opted to favour fellow Italian Emiliano Moretti to provide support for him rather than to let him have a free role along the left. Furthermore, ankle 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, more of the same, as the club finished 11 points behind eventual champions FC Barcelona and he was again bothered by an ankle condition.
"It is clear that he is one of the best players. Some footballers are a little more than others and Vicente is one of them".
Vicente was often injured, yet again, in 2006–07, most notably in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash with Chelsea, 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, 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".[8] "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'.[9] The "injury saga" came to an end when the player was fined €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. He came from the bench in the season opener, a 3–0 home win over RCD Mallorca.[10] 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, 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, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey's round of 16; 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.
On 2 September 2011, Vicente signed a one-year deal with Football League Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion.[11] On the 21st, he made his official debut for the club, in a 1–2 home loss against Liverpool for the season's Football League Cup, winning a penalty which resulted in the Ashley Barnes goal.[12]
Vicente scored his first goal for Brighton in a 1–3 away defeat against Ipswich Town, on 1 October 2011.[13]
Vicente made his debut for Spain in a friendly against France on 28 March 2001, replacing Pedro Munitis in the 70th munite of a 2–1 win at Mestalla. He was overlooked for the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.
Vicente appeared in his first major tournament at the UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal, playing in three complete group stage outings, although the Furia Roja's 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, Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.
| Team | Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Valencia | Spanish League | 2001–02, 2003–04 |
| Valencia | UEFA Cup | 2003–04 |
| Valencia | UEFA Super Cup | 2004 |
| Valencia | Spanish Cup | 2007–08 |
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Levante | 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 | 54 | 9 | 3 | 0 | — | 57 | 9 | ||
| Valencia | 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 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 5 | |
| 2005–06 | 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 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |
| Total | 242 | 36 | 20 | 8 | 57 | 6 | 319 | 50 | |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2011–12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Total | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Career totals | 300 | 46 | 24 | 8 | 57 | 6 | 381 | 60 | |
Vicente's longtime girlfriend Mar gave birth to their daughter Blanca, on the night of 25 March 2009.
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