Manny Rojas 1983, 1988; 1984 (id)

Manuel Antonio “Manny” Rojas was born June 13th, 1954 in Santiago, Chile. He began his professional club with Chilean First Division club Palestino (former Rowdie Oscar Fabbiani's team. The two played together for four seasons). He then moved to Mexican Club América for the 1975 season. At some point, he signed with Universidad Católica of Chile and was on their roster for the 1981-1982 season.

In 1983, he moved to the United States where he signed with the Rowdies. He scored eight goals in twenty-nine games that season to lead the team in scoring. During the off season, the Rowdies traded Manny to the Golden Bay Earthquakes. However, on July 10th, 1984, the Earthquakes sent him and Hayden Knight to the Chicago Sting in exhcnage for Ricardo Alonso and Charlie Fajkus.

Manny found himself with a team on the rise as the Sting won the 1984 NASL championship. While he scored only one goal during the regular season, he added two more in the post-season, including one in a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Blizzard in the first game of the championship series.

When the NASL folded at the end of the 1984 season, the Sting moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League. He remained with the Sting until it folded at the end of the 1987-1988 MISL season.

That summer, he played for the Rowdies, now of the American Soccer League. He then signed with the expansion Chicago Power of the AISA. He remained with the Power through the 1990-1991 season, scoring seven goals in twenty-one games, as the Power won the AISA championship.

His career with Chilean national team spanned from 1976 to 1982. That year, he capped his national team career when he was selected to the Chilean team which competed in the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. Chilean National Sportsmanship Award 1978 and 1981.

Manny Rojas has extensive coaching experience, most of it at the youth level. However, he did act as an assistant coach while with the Chicago Power. He was the assistant coach to the Vernon Hills High School girls soccer team. He now coaches at the Trevian Soccer Club, more details can be found at: http://www.treviansoccerclub.com