VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC central defender/midfielder Andy Rose has agreed to a new Major League Soccer contract through 2021, the club announced on Wednesday.
"Andy is a consummate professional and a mentor to our young players,” explains Marc Dos Santos, Whitecaps FC head coach. “As a member of the senior leadership group, Andy helps set the tone by his willingness to help the club wherever needed. We are very pleased Andy will continue to be a member of our club.”
On the pitch, Rose returns for his third season with the ‘Caps and seventh in MLS. The 30-year-old product of Bristol, England arrived in Vancouver prior to the start of the 2019 season and has since made 39 appearances across all competitions including 32 starts.
This year, Rose enters his 10th professional season, which started in Seattle before stops in England with Coventry City FC and Scotland with Motherwell FC. Across all competitions, Rose has amassed 241 first team appearances.
“I couldn’t be more excited to continue my career here in Vancouver,” said Rose. “I’m really enthusiastic about the path we’re on as a team and am motivated to give our fans a season they can get behind. I’m also excited to begin working with our U-19 group and thank the club for giving me the opportunity to gain valuable coaching experience. I think we’ve got some excellent young players and I’ll do everything in my power to advance their careers.”
The experienced player, who has also earned his UEFA A Licence and UEFA A Elite Youth Licence, will continue his coach education working with Nick Dasovic as the new Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy U-19 boys team assistant coach, subject to the extension of his work permit.
“Andy is a fantastic person and a fantastic professional, and he has the potential to become a very good coach,” added Vanni Sartini, Whitecaps FC director of methodology. “We're going to keep him in the system and help him continue his journey. For the Academy, it's going to be huge because he will work closely with the age group that is a transitional group from being purely a youth player to being within reach of being a professional player. Andy can teach our Academy players how to be a professional both on the field and also off the field – the attention to detail, the effort that you need. When we have a player in the first team who wants to become a coach, who represents the culture that we want to bring in this club, like Andy who has the mentality, the team spirit, the work ethic, the discipline - all the four pillars that we go by, it's a huge value to have him onboard.”
Off the pitch, Rose, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 26, launched Type 1 United at the start of 2020. The community initiative is in partnership with Diabetes Canada and connects with T1D children and their family. Rose is also halfway through his master’s degree in sports management at Southern New Hampshire University.
TRANSACTION: On January 27, 2021, Whitecaps FC re-sign centre back/midfielder Andy Rose to a new Major League Soccer contract through 2021.
