{{short description|Sierra Leonean footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Rodney Strasser | image = | full_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|3|30|df=yes}} | birth_place = Freetown, Sierra Leone | height = 1.81 m<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.regginacalcio.com/stagione/prima-squadra.html |title=Prima Squadra |accessdate=2014-03-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140123053638/http://www.regginacalcio.com/stagione/prima-squadra.html |archivedate=23 January 2014 }}</ref> | position = Defensive midfielder | currentclub = Cattolica | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2006–2007 | youthclubs1 = Kallon | youthyears2 = 2007–2010 | youthclubs2 = AC Milan | years1 = 2009–2010 | caps1 = 2 | goals1 = 0 | clubs1 = AC Milan | years2 = 2010–2011 | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | clubs2 = Genoa | years3 = 2010–2011 | caps3 = 5 | goals3 = 1 | clubs3 = → AC Milan (loan) | years4 = 2011–2013 | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0 | clubs4 = AC Milan | years5 = 2011–2012 | caps5 = 13 | goals5 = 1 | clubs5 = → Lecce (loan) | years6 = 2013 | caps6 = 2 | goals6 = 0 | clubs6 = → Parma (loan) | years7 = 2013–2017 | caps7 = 0 | goals7 = 0 | clubs7 = Genoa | years8 = 2013–2014 | caps8 = 22 | goals8 = 0 | clubs8 = → Reggina (loan) | years9 = 2015 | caps9 = 2 | goals9 = 0 | clubs9 = → Livorno (loan) | years10 = 2015–2016 | caps10 = 16 | goals10 = 1 | clubs10 = → Lupa Castelli Romani (loan) | years11 = 2016 | caps11 = 12 | goals11 = 0 | clubs11 = → NK Zagreb (loan) | years12 = 2016–2017 | caps12 = 13 | goals12 = 0 | clubs12 = → Gil Vicente (loan) | years13 = 2018–2019 | caps13 = 14 | goals13 = 0 | clubs13 = Villafranca | years14 = 2020–2021 | caps14 = 9 | goals14 = 0 | clubs14 = TPS | years15 = 2021–2022 | caps15 = 6 | goals15 = 0 | clubs15 = Cattolica | years16 = 2023– | clubs16 = FAVL Cimini | caps16 = | goals16 = | nationalyears1 = 2010– | nationalteam1 = Sierra Leone | nationalcaps1 = 13 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 1 November 2023 | nationalteam-update = 1 November 2023 }}
'''Rodney Strasser''' (born 30 March 1990) is a Sierra Leonean professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.<ref>{{cite news |title=Strasser in Zagreb |url=http://www.jutarnji.hr/iduce-godine-u-ovo-vrijeme-bit--ce-prvaci-zagreb-doveo-rodneya---bivseg-nogometasa-milana-i-genoe/1515335/ |newspaper=Jutarnji.hr |date=7 February 2016 |accessdate=7 February 2016 |language=Croatian}}</ref>
== Club career ==
===AC Milan=== Born in Freetown, Strasser began his career at local club Kallon, before moving to Italy to join AC Milan in 2007.<ref name="BBC"/> During his time in Milan's youth system, he was a member of the under-20 side, who won the 2009–10 Coppa Italia Primavera.<ref>{{cite news |title=Il Milan del futuro vola con Verdi e Zigoni |url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2010/aprile/15/Milan_del_futuro_vola_con_ga_10_100415017.shtml |newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport |date=15 April 2010 |accessdate=15 August 2010 |language=Italian}}</ref> He made his first-team debut on 21 December 2008, in a 5–1 win against Udinese, coming on as a substitute for Kakha Kaladze in the 82nd minute.<ref>{{cite web |title=Milan 5 – 1 Udinese |url=http://www.legaseriea.it/it/serie-a-tim/match-report/-/match-report/Milan-Udinese/22912 |work=legaseriea.it |publisher=Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A |date=21 December 2008 |accessdate=8 January 2011 |language=Italian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Super Milan Destroy Udinese in Six-Goal Thriller |url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2008/12/21/1023184/super-milan-destroy-udinese-in-six-goal-thriller |author=Peter Pedroncelli |publisher=Goal |date=21 December 2008 |accessdate=28 January 2010}}</ref>
===Genoa=== On 20 July 2010, Milan announced that half of the rights to Strasser had been purchased by Genoa for €2.25 million,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acmilan.com/uploads/club/bilancio2010/pdf/Bilancio_Gruppo_Milan_10.pdf|title=AC Milan Group 2010 Annual Report |date=April 2011|accessdate=11 June 2011|work=AC Milan|language=Italian|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515220657/http://www.acmilan.com/uploads/club/bilancio2010/pdf/Bilancio_Gruppo_Milan_10.pdf|archivedate=15 May 2012}}</ref> as part of the deal that saw defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos move to Milan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Milan pick up Genoa starlet Papastathopoulos |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01e7-0e74e97f5a73-373a1bbd89a2-1000--milan-pick-up-genoa-starlet-papastathopoulos/ |publisher=UEFA |date=20 July 2010 |access-date=6 January 2011}}</ref> Strasser, however, would stay at Milan on loan,<ref>{{cite web |title=Calcio Mercato Squadre |url=http://www.legaseriea.it/it/serie-a-tim/calcio-mercato/squadre/-/trasferimento/1716 |work=legaseriea.it |publisher=Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A |accessdate=26 July 2010 |language=Italian}}</ref> joining the first-team squad permanently. His first appearance of the season was in a UEFA Champions League group stage 2–0 win against Auxerre – which also marked his debut in European club competition – on 23 November.<ref>{{cite web |title=Auxerre-Milan |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/2002894--auxerre-vs-milan/ |publisher=UEFA |date=23 November 2010 |access-date=24 November 2010}}</ref> He went on to score his first professional goal in a 1–0 league win over Cagliari, on 6 January.<ref>{{cite news |title=Important victory |url=http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/show/131516 |work=acmilan.com |publisher=Associazione Calcio Milan |date=6 January 2011 |accessdate=7 January 2011}}</ref>
===Milan return=== In May 2011, his co-ownership was dissolved in favour of Milan for the same price and renewed his contract to June 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acmilan.com/uploads/club/bilancio2012/pdf/Bilancio_Gruppo_Milan_12.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2013-12-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203090521/http://www.acmilan.com/uploads/club/bilancio2012/pdf/Bilancio_Gruppo_Milan_12.pdf |archivedate=3 December 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acmilan.com/uploads/club/bilancio2011/pdf/Bilancio_gruppo_Milan_2011.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2015-06-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616063502/http://www.acmilan.com/uploads/club/bilancio2011/pdf/Bilancio_gruppo_Milan_2011.pdf |archivedate=16 June 2015 }}</ref> (with Papastathopoulos moved back to Genoa),<ref>{{cite news |title=Official A.C. Milan press release |url=http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/breaking_news_show/11316 |work=acmilan.com |publisher=Associazione Calcio Milan |date=14 June 2011 |accessdate=23 March 2012}}</ref> but Strasser subsequently joined Lecce on loan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Official Statement |url=http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/breaking_news_show/12325 |work=acmilan.com |publisher=Associazione Calcio Milan |date=19 July 2011 |accessdate=23 March 2012}}</ref> He appeared in 13 games and scored one goal for his new team, before suffering a broken ankle in a game against Juventus on 9 January and subsequently being called back to Milan to undergo rehabilitation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Strasser – Milan is my second home |url=http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/34797 |author=Alie Bittar |work=sierraexpressmedia.com |publisher=Sierra Express Media |date=6 February 2012 |accessdate=23 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120910084238/http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/34797 |archivedate=10 September 2012 }}</ref> He made his return on 10 April, coming on as a substitute in the second half of a game against Chievo, which Milan won 1–0.<ref>{{cite news |title=Report: Chievo v AC Milan |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=326885&cc=5739 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713210123/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=326885&cc=5739 |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 July 2012 |work=ESPNsoccernet |publisher=ESPN |date=10 April 2012 |accessdate=13 April 2012}}</ref> At the start of the following season, Strasser sustained another injury which would rule him out for three months.<ref>{{cite news |title=A.C. Milan official statement |url=http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/breaking_news_show/28488 |work=acmilan.com |publisher=Associazione Calcio Milan |date=14 July 2012 |accessdate=25 January 2013}}</ref> After recovering he struggled to get playing time, making only one Coppa Italia appearance before being loaned out to Parma during the January transfer window.<ref>{{cite news |title=A.C. Milan official communication |url=http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/breaking_news_show/35948 |work=acmilan.com |publisher=Associazione Calcio Milan |date=25 January 2013 |accessdate=25 January 2013}}</ref>
===Genoa return=== On 27 July 2013, Strasser joined Genoa on a permanent deal for €3.5 million, as part of Kévin Constant's co-ownership resolution in favour of Milan for €6 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dal Milan arriva Strasser |url=http://genoacfc.it/notizie/dal-milan-arriva-strasser/ |work=genoacfc.it |publisher=Genoa Cricket and Football Club |date=27 July 2013 |accessdate=27 July 2013 |language=Italian |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227120338/http://genoacfc.it/notizie/dal-milan-arriva-strasser/ |archivedate=27 February 2014 }}</ref> Strasser was loaned out to Serie B team Reggina in August 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=Reggina capture Sierra Leone midfielder Strasser on loan |url=http://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/4398/transfer-zone/2013/08/26/4215200/reggina-capture-sierra-leone-midfielder-strasser-on-loan |work=Sahr Morris Jr.|publisher=Goal |date=26 August 2013 |accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref> As of January 2019, Strasser played for the Serie D team Villafranca.[https://allafrica.com/stories/201901090164.html]
== International career == Strasser made his international debut for the Sierra Leone national team on 5 September 2010, in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against Egypt.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |title=Strasser ready for Sierra Leone |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8951959.stm |author=Mohamed Fajah-Barrie |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 August 2010 |accessdate=9 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Egypt vs. Sierra Leone |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2010/09/05/africa/africa-cup-of-nations/egypt/sierra-leone/916429/ |work=soccerway.com |publisher=Global Sports Media |date=5 September 2010 |accessdate=6 January 2011}}</ref>
== Career statistics ==
=== Club === {{Updated|27 July 2013}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Rodney Strasser » Club matches |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe142028/rodney-strasser/club-matches/ |website=worldfootball.net |access-date=12 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rodney Strasser |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/129753/rodney-strasser?cc=5739 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024030614/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/129753/rodney-strasser?cc=5739 |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 October 2012 |work=ESPNsoccernet |publisher=ESPN |accessdate=27 July 2013}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental{{efn|Includes UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup.}} !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="6"|AC Milan |2008–09 |1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||1||0 |- |2009–10 |1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||1||0 |- |2010–11 |3||1||0||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||5||1 |- |2011–12 |1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||1||0 |- |2012–13 |0||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||1||0 |- !Total !6!!1!!1!!0!!2!!0!!0!!0!!9!!1 |- |Lecce (loan) |2011–12 |12||1||1||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||13||1 |- |Parma (loan) |2012–13 |2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||2||0 |- !colspan="2"|Career total !20!!2!!2!!0!!2!!0!!0!!0!!24!!2 |}
{{notelist}}
=== International === {{Updated|3 October 2013}}<ref>{{NFT player|39956}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|Sierra Leone |2010||2||0 |- |2011||4||0 |- |2012||0||0 |- |2013||2||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !8!!0 |}
==Honours== ;'''Milan''' *Serie A: 2010–11
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Soccerbase}} * [http://aic.football.it/scheda/20962/strasser-rodney.htm Rodney Strasser] at aic.football.it {{in lang|it}} * {{Soccerway|rodney-strasser-/69332}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strasser, Rodney}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Sierra Leone Creole people Category:Footballers from Freetown Category:Sierra Leonean men's footballers Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate men's footballers Category:Sierra Leone men's international footballers Category:AC Milan players Category:US Lecce players Category:Parma Calcio 1913 players Category:Genoa CFC players Category:AS Reggina 1914 players Category:SS Racing Club Roma players Category:NK Zagreb players Category:Gil Vicente F.C. players Category:ASD Villafranca players Category:Turun Palloseura footballers Category:Serie A players Category:Serie B players Category:Serie C players Category:Serie D players Category:Croatian Football League players Category:Liga Portugal 2 players Category:Veikkausliiga players Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Italy Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Finland Category:Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Portugal Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Croatia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Finland Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal Category:Men's association football midfielders