Alain Rogers

Alain Jonathan Rogers (born 11 November 1965) is the current manager of the Portland FC soccer team and a former midfielder.

Playing Career


In 1983, Rogers started his playing career with North American Soccer League club Toronto Blizzard. After three years, he joined Spanish club Valencia CF, but due to injuries only got to play four times with the club, before being traded to German 2. Bundesliga club Eintracht Braunschweig, where he enjoyed a brilliant reputation with the club's supporters. The 1993 Relegation to the German Oberliga Nord whoever saw him leave the club and joining SC Freiburg, who have gained promotion to the Bundesliga that year. In his two seasons with Freiburg, he had a great share of the club's success, scoring 25 goals in 60 appearances.

In 1995, Champions Borussia Dortmund signed the Midfielder, however a severe injury near the end of the season saw his one year contract not being extended. For his last years of professional soccer, he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps of the Lower Columbia Football League.

Alain Rogers was also an integral part of Canada's Men's national team, appearing in 42 matches between 1987 and 1998.

Early stages
Rogers began his coaching work in his home town with the Montreal Impact Youth Academy in 2000. After a rather successful year, he was offered a role as assistant coach with KBS club Brunswick Athletics, where he stayed at for three seasons, helping the team to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, he was offered assistant coaching role with playoff runners up Port Ruppert Flames, however that season did not see the Flames perform successfully and so the whole coaching staff was relieved of their duties after the tenth match day, when the team was in last spot.

First Head Coach
Being relieved of his duties in 2004, Rogers was approached by Second League team London Royals, offering Rogers the role of head Coach. In his first year, he released many old players from the squad, replacing them with little known yet talented youngsters. The team however failed to secure promotion after a 2-1 loss on the last match day of the season, which saw them only at third place, two goals shy of second-placed and promoted FC Wyswater. Rogers reacted by signing three new players during the off season: Louis Yarks, Timmie Rodnell and Sean Riley. The "Magic Trio", as they were called, scored a combined of 63 goals for the club in the next season, easily helping the London Royals gain promotion to the top-tier after a three-season spell in the second league. It is to date the club's most successful regular season, ending the season at 81 points and 93 goals.

His following season with London, the team managed to perform well in the league, securing a playoff spot and reaching the semi-final in 2006, which has the London Royals to date as the most successful promoted club in KBS history. In the middle of the 2007 season, Portland FC sacked their Escambian head coach Andrew Carthy and approached Alain Rogers to become their new head coach. Rogers agreed and left London, however taking Timmie Rodnell and Sean Riley with him.

Portland FC Head Coach
When joining Portland FC, Rogers found an overaged team that played a very defensive and unattractive soccer and saw themselves sitting in 15th position, doomed for relegation. Rogers brought in Riley and Rodnell to help the team to a rather offensive approach to the game. Although losing his first three games, improvement was imminent, and on the 18th game day, Portland FC won their first game of the season, winning 3-0 over arch rival and current champions Manchester Soccer. That win sparked a rally for the team, winning five of their next six matches, and leaving the relegation zone. On 26th game day, it was clear that Portland FC could not be relegated anymore. They finished that season on 9th spot, 16 points ahead of the relegated FC Ste. Anne and Uitveiler Rams.

Rogers released many players at the end of that season and introduced many new players. Roger Button, Bjorn Ytterby and Rabiu Afolabi were the first new signings, all three part of their national squads. In that off-season, Rogers signed 8 new players for a combined transfer fee of $300K, the lowest combined transfer value of the league at that point (Manchester Soccer signed three new players for $15M that same season). All eight players are still part of the squad today, and many of them have made the jump into their respective national squads.

His first full season with Portland FC saw the team reach the semi finals, however then losing to the eventual winners Kingston Titans, 2-1 and 3-1. Over the course of the next four seasons, Portland FC established a secure position in the league, reaching the playoffs in all four years, and reaching the semi finals every time but 2011. Rogers signed many new youngsters again, making Portland FC the youngest team of the league, with an average age of 24.3 years. Most influential and talented was home grown player Yannick Sprenger, an attacking midfielder. In 2012, Captain Timmie Rodnell retired from soccer and Sean Riley was traded to the Port Ruppert Skyliners, for a fee of $5.5M. Alain Rogers entrusted Yannick Sprenger with the captaincy of the team. Although the following season was not as successful as the previous ones, Portland FC secured a playoff spot three games in advance, however lost their remaining games, and drop to seventh position overall.

2012 Playoffs
With Portland FC facing off against second seeded Port Ruppert Flames in the first round, Rogers was facing his old team. By winning the home game 2-0, Portland FC was in a comfortable position coming into the second leg of the playoff series against the Flames. However, under controversial circumstances, the Flames managed to a 2-0 score after ninety minutes, sending the game into sudden-death overtime, where in the 117th minute, Otto Klaus scored the game winner, sending Portland into the semi final against the London Royals.

That series saw Portland win the first leg 3-1, with all three goals scored by youngster Charlie King. Portland won the second leg 1-0 in London, which saw the team advance to the finals for the first time in 32 years, facing Manchester. In an exciting match, Portland beat Manchester 2-1, crowing their Cinderella Run in the playoffs by winning the team's first championship ever. Yannick Sprenger was the youngest captain to ever hoist the trophy and Alain Rogers was awarded Coach of the Year.

Defending Champions
For the 2013 season, Rogers again introduced a set of new players, most notable, signing German national defender Mats Hummels from Borussia Dortmund. Hummels and Sprenger became the backbone of the team, guiding them to the club's first ever first seed at the end of the regular season, meaning to have home advantage for the entirety of the playoffs.

In the first round, Portland defeated the Port Ruppert Skyliners by an aggregate score of 5-1 and was set to meet Manchester in the Semi finals. Although losing the first leg on the road 2-3, Rogers and Portland FC were confident going into the second leg. It showed during the game, Portland was better in every aspect of the game and deservedly moved on into the Finals by winning 3-0, with goals scored by Sprenger, Hummels and Ytterby.

In the Final, Portland FC was awaited by the London Royals, who advanced only due to a better away goal count. Portland showed no mercy during the Final, winning 3-1 and defending their title.

Coaching Honours

 * 4 times KBS Coach of the Year: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013
 * 1 time 2 National Division Coach of the Year: 2005