{{short description|Australian soccer player}} {{for|the Australian tennis player|Tony Roche}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Anthony Roche | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|08|17}} | position = Forward | clubs1 = Brisbane Strikers | caps1 = 21 | goals1 = 12 | years1 = 2002–2003 | clubs2 = Fortuna Düsseldorf | caps2 = 12 | years2 = 2003–2004 | goals2 = 0 | clubs3 = Yeovil Town | years3 = 2004–2005 | goals3 = 0 | caps3 = 0 }}
'''Anthony Roche''' (born 17 August 1976) is an Australian retired footballer.
==Early life and education== Anthony Roche was born on 17 August 1976<ref name=squads>{{cite web | title=Brisbane Strikers | website=FootballSquads | url=http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/australia/2002-2003/prem/brisbane.htm | access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref><ref name=apd>{{cite web | title=RO | website=Australian Player Database | url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/R/RO.html | access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref> in Brisbane, Queensland. He may have French citizenship as well as Australian.<ref name=wft/>
In 1994, Roche played in the Australian Schoolboys International team.<ref name=apd/>
==Career== Roche first played for Wynnum District in Brisbane, Queensland.<ref name=squads/>
He represented Queensland against New South Wales in 2000 (when he scored once) and 2002 (no goals).<ref name=apd/>
In 2002 he joined Brisbane Strikers<ref name=squads/> in the National Soccer League, under coach John Kosmina.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2003-09-19|title=How the teams line up|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/how-the-teams-line-up-20030919-gdwd9w.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=The Age|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Brisbane stay on the rise as they strike out wasteful United who anger fans | website=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=16 December 2002 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/brisbane-stay-on-the-rise-as-they-strike-out-wasteful-united-who-anger-fans-20021216-gdfz3a.html | access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref> He played as a forward, number 21,<ref name=squads/> scoring 12 goals in 21 games.<ref name=apd/><ref name=wft/>
That attracted the interest of Fortuna Düsseldorf<ref name=krause2020>{{Cite web|last=Krause|first=Otto|date=2020-03-30|title=Eine ganze Saison Jetlag: Serie: Fortuna und der Känguru-Transferflop|url=https://www.express.de/sport/fussball/fortuna-duesseldorf/eine-ganze-saison-jetlag-serie--fortuna-und-der-kaenguru-transferflop-36482826|access-date=2020-08-18|website=Express.de|language=de-DE|quote=Anthony Roche (43)}}</ref> and he signed for the then-Oberliga Nordrhein club from the Strikers for the 2004/5 season. He failed to make an impact in Germany, despite coach Massimo Morales's hopes for his "killer instinct" in front of goal.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lonn|first=Maximilian|title=Fortuna Transfers: Leihspieler mit Potenzial und extremen Geschichten|url=https://www.wz.de/sport/fussball/fortuna-duesseldorf/fortuna-transfers-leihspieler-mit-potenzial-und-extremen-geschichten_aid-44628393|access-date=2020-08-18|website=Westdeutsche Zeitung|language=de}}</ref>
He then joined English side and Yeovil Town in League Two from July 2004, but retired in December 2004.<ref name=wft>{{cite web | title=Anthony Roche | website=worldfootball.net | date=17 August 1976 | url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe111146/anthony-roche/ | access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref>
==After retirement== After leaving Yeovil, Roche managed the Wynnum Wolves FC from January 2005 until December 2007.<ref name=wft/>
In 2019, he was became senior women's coach at Sunshine Coast Wanderers<ref>{{cite web | title=Sunshine Coast Football Team Launch 2019 Season with Major Sponsor | website=Reflected Image | url=https://www.reflectedimage.com.au/sunshine-coast-football-team-launch-2019-season-with-major-sponsor/|date= 14 February 2019 | access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roche, Anthony}} Category:Australian men's soccer players Category:Brisbane Strikers FC players Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Yeovil Town F.C. players Category:Fortuna Düsseldorf players Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Masters of the Worshipful Company of Engineers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
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