Toché (footballer)

Toché
Personal information
Full nameJosé Verdú Nicolás
Date of birth1 January 1983
Place of birthSantomera, Spain
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Deportivo La Coruña
Number18
Youth career
Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2002–2004Atlético Madrid B76(34)
2003–2007Atlético Madrid1(0)
2004–2005→ Numancia (loan)5(0)
2005–2006→ Hércules (loan)25(3)
2006–2007→ Valladolid (loan)15(4)
2007–2008Numancia14(3)
2008–2009Albacete22(5)
2009–2011Cartagena74(35)
2011–2013Panathinaikos46(20)
2014–Deportivo La Coruña35(8)
National team
2000Spain U165(3)
2002–2003Spain U204(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 April 2015.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Verdú and the second or maternal family name is Nicolás.

José Verdú Nicolás (born 1 January 1983), commonly known as Toché, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Deportivo de La Coruña as a striker.

Football career

Born in Santomera, Murcia, Toché came up through the ranks of Atlético Madrid, making his first-team debut during the 2003–04 season in a 0–0 home draw against Deportivo de La Coruña. The following campaign he was loaned to CD Numancia, where he appeared in only five games as the club from Soria was eventually relegated from La Liga, although he was seriously injured in the process.[1]

Toché spent the following seasons on loan at Hércules CF and Real Valladolid, both in the second division. He returned to Numancia for 2007–08, and appearing sporadically in the side's eventual promotion.

On 30 December 2008, after having taken almost no part in the top division season, Toché left Numancia for second level team Albacete Balompié, signing a contract for the rest of the campaign and the next one.[2] On 28 August of the following year, however, he moved teams again, joining promoted FC Cartagena.[3] He had a breakthrough year in 2009–10, as the Murcian nearly achieved a second consecutive promotion, only missing two league matches – 3,317 minutes of action – and ranking in the Pichichi Trophy's top three.[4][5][6]

On 19 July 2011, after scoring a further 16 league goals with Cartagena, Toché signed a three-year contract with Panathinaikos F.C. in Greece.[7] He netted on his official debut for the team, making it 2–1 in an eventual 3–4 home loss against Odense Boldklub for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League (4–5 aggregate loss).[8]

In November 2013 Toché rescinded his link, after being unpaid for four months.[9] On 20 January of the following year he returned to his homeland, signing a short-term deal with Deportivo de La Coruña.[10]

Toché scored four times for Depor during the season, as the Galician club returned to the top level at the first attempt. He scored his first goal in the category on 20 September 2014, but in a 2–8 home loss against Real Madrid.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Numancia lose Toché; UEFA.com, 30 August 2004
  2. ↑ "Toché es el elegido para reforzar la delantera del Alba" [Toché is chosen to bolster Alba offense] (in Spanish). Marca. 30 December 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "El Cartagena ficha al delantero Toché" [Cartagena signs forward Toché] (in Spanish). Marca. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Toché está a un gol de entrar en la historia del Cartagena" [Toché is one goal away from entering Cartagena history] (in Spanish). Marca. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Toché ha anotado 33 de los 100 goles del Cartagena en Segunda" [Toché has scored 33 of Cartagena's 100 goles in Segunda] (in Spanish). La Verdad. 25 April 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Toché, el gol que llegó tarde" [Toché, the goal that arrived late] (in Spanish). Vavel. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Announcement". Panathinaikos' official website. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  8. ↑ Four-goal OB put paid to Panathinaikos; UEFA.com, 2 August 2011
  9. ↑ "Toché deja Grecia porque no le pagan y es objetivo del Zaragoza entre otros clubes" [Toché leaves Greece due to unpayment and is the target of Zaragoza amongst other clubs] (in Spanish). Sport Cartagena. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Salomão y Toché, presentados como nuevos jugadores del Deportivo" [Salomão and Toché, presented as Deportivo's new players] (in Spanish). Deportivo's official website. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Cristiano Ronaldo scores hat trick as Real Madrid hammer Deportivo". ESPN FC. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.

External links