Juan Ramón Rocha

Juan Ramón Rocha

Rocha playing for Panathinaikos FC
Personal information
Full name	Juan Ramón Rocha
Date of birth	May 8, 1954
Place of birth	Santo Tomé, Argentina
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Panathinaikos (scout)
Youth career
1960–1970	Avanti Santo Tome Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1972–1978	Newell's Old Boys	135	(26)
1978–1979	Junior	15	(3)
1979–1980	Boca Juniors	26	(3)
1980–1989	Panathinaikos	227	(13)
Total		403	(45)
National team
1976–1978	Argentina	27	(0)
Teams managed
1989–1990	Paniliakos
1990–1991	Ilisiakos
1991–1992	Kalamata
1994–1996	Panathinaikos
1997–1999	Aris Thessaloniki
1999–2000	Panathinaikos
2001–2003	Skoda Xanthi
2006–2007	Ilisiakos
2007–2008	Olympiakos Nicosia
2008–2012	Panathinaikos U20
2012–2013	Panathinaikos
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of August 28, 2007. † Appearances (goals)

Juan Ramón Rocha (born May 8, 1954 in Santo Tomé, Corrientes) is an Argentine former footballer, and coach. He was reassigned to his former club, Panathinaikos, in April 2008 as a scouter.

Career

Rocha at Boca Juniors

He began his professional career at Newell's Old Boys in 1972, he was part of their Metropolitano winning team in 1974. He moved to Boca Juniors in 1979. In 1980 he was transferred to Greek soccer club Panathinaikos where he played until his retirement in 1989.

Nicknamed The Indian, Rocha was a skillful player, with vision and remarkable sportsmanship. He is considered by many one of the greatest players in the team's history. Rocha was first signed for Panathinaikos under the name Boublis with Greek papers; the subsequent discovery of record falsifications and ensuing scandal almost landed Rocha in jail and Panathinaikos in the second division. These allegations were later dismissed and both Panathinaikos and Rocha were acquitted. This was one of the many cases of "hellenization" of foreign players for many Greek soccer clubs.

Managerial career

After retirement he started coaching, first Ilisiakos, then Kalamata FC and Skoda Xanthi. He was also the coach of Panathinaikos's semi final run in the 1995–96 UEFA Champions League. He also managed Olympiakos Nicosia in Cyprus.

He is now member of the scouting team of Panathinaikos, mostly searching players in Argentina and Southern America. After Jesualdo Ferreira resigned at 14 November 2012, Rocha once more became the manager of Panathinaikos.

Trophies

Season	Club	Title
1974	Newell's Old Boys	Metropolitano
1982	Panathinaikos	Greek Cup
83/84	Panathinaikos	Greek First Division
1984	Panathinaikos	Greek Cup
85/86	Panathinaikos	Greek First Division
1986	Panathinaikos	Greek Cup
1988	Panathinaikos	Greek Cup
1989	Panathinaikos	Greek Cup

Statistics

• Games (TOTAL) : 403
• Goals (TOTAL) : 45
• League games  : 227
• League goals  : 13
• Cup Goals  : 3
• Games in Europe : 15
• Goals in Europe : 2
• Games with Argentine national team : 27

External links

• Official site
• (Spanish)Boca Juniors biography