Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that Marius Rovde has been named the club's goalkeeper coach, while former Whitecaps FC defender Rick Celebrini has been added to the club's Major League Soccer staff as a physiotherapist consultant. Per club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Rovde joins Whitecaps FC after a recent spell working with goalkeepers in Southern Ontario. A professional goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach for more than two decades, the native of Trondheim, Norway, began his soccer career with hometown club Rosenborg Ballklub (BK) in 1987.
Rovde's playing career included spells in Norway's top-flight Eliteserien with Stabaek IF, Lillestrom SK, and Hamarkameratene (HamKam), as well as spells in Scotland with Ayr United FC and Motherwell FC. He also had a brief stint in English League One with Welsh outfit Wrexham AFC. His coaching career includes spells in Norway and Scotland before serving as director of goalkeepers with the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation from 2008 to 2011. He also worked as head goalkeeper coach at Trinidad & Tobago's Joe Public FC.
Celebrini returns to Whitecaps FC as a physiotherapist consultant. From 1992 to 1996, the native of Burnaby, BC, made a total of 31 appearances as a defender when the club was then known as Vancouver 86ers. Following his career in professional soccer, Celebrini has since enjoyed a distinguished career as a sports and orthopaedic physical therapist in the province of British Columbia after graduating with a degree in physical therapy education from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1992.
