Anthony Leo Rougier (born 17 July 1971) is a Trinidadian former footballer. A former international with 67 caps to his name, he came close to making the 2006 FIFA World Cup team for Trinidad and Tobago.
He spent the first half of 1998–99 with Hibernian, playing eighteen games and scoring once against Morton. It would prove to be an easy campaign for Alex McLeish's "Hibs", as they eventually finished 23 points clear of second place Falkirk. Rougier was not at Easter Road for the celebrations, however, having been sold to English club Port Vale for £175,000 in January 1999. He arrived at Vale Park with the club about to suffer a drastic downturn in fortunes as chairman Bill Bell replaced managerJohn Rudge with Brian Horton. He made twelve appearances for Vale at the end of the season. Rougier scored nine goals in 41 games in 1999–2000, becoming a crowd favourite and the club's top scorer, but it was not enough to prevent the "Valiants" from losing their First Division status.[5] Chairman Bill Bell was not as keen on the player as the supporters, bemoaning Rougier's international commitments by stating "he may have been on the pitch nearly 40 times, but he did not play 40 games".[6]
"He's almost becoming a Cantona sort of figure for us, everything's coming off him. And as long as Nicky Forster is scoring and others are chipping in, he doesn't need to score."
— Reading manager Alan Pardew speaking in February 2002.[9]
Rougier played 34 games for Brentford in the 2003–04 season before switching to Bristol City in late March.[15] On 2 May, his 21st-minute winner over Barnsley proved not enough to catch Queens Park Rangers, though the club had easily qualified for the play-offs. He scored the opener of the semi-final with Hartlepool United at Victoria Park, City winning 2–1 on aggregate, before falling 1–0 at the Millennium Stadium to his old club Brighton. He was then released by City.[16]
After a short spell with Chinese club Nanjing Yoyo and speculation of signing with Northampton Town in September 2005,[17] he spent a brief period in the US with USL Pro club Rochester Rhinos. He ended his playing career back in Trinidad with United Petrotrin before becoming a Technical Advisor at North East Stars under manager David Farrell in 2008.[18] In 2009, he co-founded FC South End, which is the newest club to compete in the TT Pro League. In July 2009, he registered himself as a player-coach to boost the fortunes of his struggling side.[18]
He was on the 24-man shortlist for the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup,[20] but was excluded from the final 23. Manager Leo Beenhakker said: "The guy worked fantastically and he did everything he had to do to try and make it and in the end I had to make a decision."[21]
Personal life
A "proud and passionate Christian", Rougier used to celebrate goals with a prayer.[4]
"My team-mates found it funny at first. But now that they know me, they understand and respect it. My christian life comes first, my football second. Without Him I couldn't do what I'm doing. I can get strength to achieve anything I want, because with God all things are possible."
He advised good friend and fellow footballer Dwight Yorke to "calm down a bit with the ladies" following Yorke's love life being splashed across the British tabloids.[4] He grew up next door to cricketerGus Logie and worked at an airport in New York City before trying his luck with football in England.[4]
Rougier is a lifelong teetotaler. On multiple occasions during his playing career, he was awarded a bottle of champagne for winning the man of the match award, only to refuse it and hand it back to the organisers.[22]
His family include his wife Trisha and daughters Alishia-Kae and Maya-Kai.[23]