Rodrigo Vargas

Rodrigo Vargas

Playing for Melbourne Victory against Gamba Osaka in April 2008.
Personal information
Full name Rodrigo Alejandro Vargas
Date of birth (1978-10-20) 20 October 1978[1]
Place of birth Melbourne, Australia
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Dandenong Thunder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996 Springvale City 17 (0)
1997–1999 Port Melbourne Sharks 67 (1)
1999–2004 Melbourne Knights 127 (4)
2004–2006 Green Gully Cavaliers 60 (9)
2006–2012 Melbourne Victory 139 (6)
2012–2016 Green Gully Cavaliers 111 (7)
2017– Dandenong Thunder 0 (0)
National team‡
2009 Australia 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 September 2016.
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 August 2009

Rodrigo Alejandro "Roddy" Vargas (born 20 October 1978) is an Australian football (soccer) player who plays as a central defender for the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 club Dandenong Thunder SC, but is mostly known for his time at Melbourne Victory, Green Gully Cavaliers and at Melbourne Knights, where he was club captain.

Club career

Vargas started his career at the Victorian Premier League side, Springvale City, where he debuted at the age of 17 under Gus McLeod.[2] After three seasons with Port Melbourne, at the age of 21, he was recruited by National Soccer League side Melbourne Knights. He had a very successful tenure at the club, playing in over 100 games in five seasons as well as being awarded the captaincy. When the National Soccer League came to an end in 2004, he moved to the Victorian Premier League side Green Gully in 2005, where he developed a reputation as a goal scoring defender from set pieces.

Vargas was drafted into the Melbourne Victory squad in 2006 after a successful trial, and soon became a key member of the Victory back line. He was involved in a controversy when he was allegedly called a "black monkey" by the Newcastle United Jets midfielder, Stuart Musialik.[3] Vargas was a key member of the Melbourne Victory team in their first appearance in the Asian Champions League in 2008 against Chunnan Dragons at the Telstra Dome. Vargas capped off a great performance with a brilliant goal, the club's second ever in Asia and only the second by Vargas for Melbourne Victory. Vargas was also captain for Melbourne Victory in their pre-season Cup win over Wellington Phoenix on 6 August 2008.[4] On 28 March 2012, it was announced that he had been released from Melbourne Victory after six seasons with the club.[5]

Two days later, Green Gully Cavaliers announced that he would rejoin his brother Andy at their club.[6] He played his first match for them the next day. On 23 February 2013, Rodrigo Vargas was charged by the FFV with entering the field of play without permission and directing violent conduct towards an opposing Bentleigh Greens player during a pre-season practice match between Green Gully and Bentleigh. At a tribunal hearing on 13 March 2013 he pleaded guility and was banned from FFV football until 14 April 2013.[7] Vargas helped Green Gully secure the 2013 Dockerty Cup.

After being released by Green Gully after the 2016 season, Vargas joined NPL Victoria 2 side Dandenong Thunder SC.[2]

International career

Vargas was named in the Australia national football team squad for the AFC World Cup qualifification matches against Qatar and Iraq and an international friendly against Ghana, but did not play his first international game until January 2009 against Indonesia in an Asian Cup qualification match.

Honours

With Melbourne Victory:

Personal honours:

References

  1. ↑ http://www.melbournevictory.com.au/default.aspx?s=mvfc_playerprofile_item&pid=878
  2. 1 2 Kulas, Damir. "Vargas finds new home at Thunder". The Corner Flag. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. ↑ Musialik suspended for one game
  4. ↑ "Vargas embraces captaincy". Sportal. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-15.
  5. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/defender-rodrigo-vargas-not-offered-new-contract-as-melbourne-victory-look-to-rebuild-after-poor-season/story-e6frf4gl-1226312763815
  6. ↑ http://www.greengully.com/ssl/article_299.shtml
  7. ↑ "FFV Disciplinary Hearing" (PDF). FFV. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
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