View source for Bob Lenarduzzi

{{Short description|Canadian soccer player}}
{{multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=August 2011}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=August 2011}}
}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Bob Lenarduzzi
| image          = Bob-lenarduzzi-2009-04-08.jpg
| image_size     = 
| fullname       = Robert Italo Lenarduzzi
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1955|5|1}}
| birth_place    = [[Vancouver|Vancouver, British Columbia]], Canada
| height         = 1.83m
| position       = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]
| currentclub    = 
| youthyears1    = 
| youthclubs1    = 
| years1         = 1970–1976
| clubs1         = [[Reading F.C.|Reading]]
| caps1          = 67
| goals1         = 2
| years2         = 1970, 1971
| clubs2         = → Vancouver Spartans
| years3         = 1970–1971
| clubs3         = → [[Columbus F.C.|Vancouver Columbus FC]]
| years4         = 1974–1984
| clubs4         = [[Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–84)|Vancouver Whitecaps]]
| caps4          = 288
| goals4         = 31
| years5         = 1979–1980
| clubs5         = → [[Los Angeles Aztecs]] (indoor)
| caps5          = 12
| goals5         = 2
| years6         = 1980–1984
| clubs6         = [[Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–84)|Vancouver Whitecaps]] (indoor)
| caps6          = 58
| goals6         = 22
| years7         = 1984–1986
| clubs7         = [[Tacoma Stars (1983–92)|Tacoma Stars]]
| caps7          = 96
| goals7         = 16
| years8         = 1987–1988
| clubs8         = [[Vancouver 86ers]]
| nationalyears1 = 1973–1986
| nationalteam1  = [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canada]]
| nationalcaps1  = 48
| nationalgoals1 = 5
| manageryears1  = 1987–1993
| managerclubs1  = [[Vancouver 86ers]]
| manageryears2  = 1993–1998
| managerclubs2  = [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canada]]
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{fb|CAN}}}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[CONCACAF Championship]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1985 CONCACAF Championship|1985 North America]]|}}
}}

'''Robert Italo Lenarduzzi''', [[Order of British Columbia|OBC]] (born May 1, 1955) is a former [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]] player, [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canadian international]], and [[Head coach|coach]] of the Canadian national and Olympic soccer teams.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/story-of-a-shattered-life-a-single-childhood-incident-pushed-dawn-crey-into-a-downward-spiral |title=Story of a shattered life: A single childhood incident pushed Dawn Crey into a downward spiral &#124; Vancouver Sun |date=November 24, 2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140507070444/http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Sport%2BLenarduzzi%2Bchanged%2Blandscape%2Bsoccer%2BCanada/9802130/story.html |archive-date=May 7, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://edmontonsun.com/2013/07/28/its-a-whitecaps-life-for-bob-lenarduzzi/wcm/68484047-06c5-44e0-84e6-dfa87876e651 |title=It's a Whitecaps life for Bob Lenarduzzi |last=Van Diest |first=Derek |date=July 28, 2013 |website=[[Edmonton Sun]] |access-date=November 24, 2019}}</ref> He is currently club liaison for [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]]. He is a member of the [[National Soccer Hall of Fame]].

==Club career==
Lenarduzzi began his professional playing career as a [[midfielder]] and [[defender (association football)|defender]] at age 15 with [[Reading F.C.|Reading]] in the English [[The Football League|Football League]] and went on to play 67 first-team games and score two goals with the club. Lenarduzzi then also joined the NASL [[Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–84)|Vancouver Whitecaps]] in 1974 in the team's first season. Until 1976, he divided his time between Vancouver in the summer and Reading in the winter. He played 11 seasons for Vancouver until the Whitecaps' last season in 1984, when the league folded. Lenarduzzi holds the record for most games played in the league, with 312. Lenarduzzi played all eleven positions during his tenure with the team, including 45 minutes as goalkeeper.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bcsportshall.com/honoured_member/bobby-lenarduzzi/ |title=Bobby Lenarduzzi}}</ref><ref name="Blevins2011">{{cite book|author=Dave Blevins|title=The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a7CnkH2HIsQC&pg=PA588|date=23 December 2011|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-1-4616-7370-5|pages=588–}}</ref> He was also voted NASL North American player of the year in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1YRUAAAAIBAJ&pg=1680,3577995&dq=alan+mayer+player+of+the+year&hl=en |title=Ellensburg Daily Record - Google News Archive Search |access-date=November 7, 2014}}</ref> The Whitecaps won the NASL [[Soccer Bowl]] championship in 1979. In 1984, Lenarduzzi joined the [[Tacoma Stars (1983–92)|Tacoma Stars]] of [[Major Soccer League|Major Indoor Soccer League]] (MISL). He spent two seasons with them before in 1986 becoming executive director of the [[Vancouver 86ers]] of the [[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)|Canadian Soccer League]]. In 1987, he returned to the field as a player and a coach with the 86ers.

===Indoor career===
Lenarduzzi and two Vancouver teammates spent the [[1979–80 NASL Indoor season]] on loan to the [[Los Angeles Aztecs]], as the Whitecaps themselves did not field an indoor team for that year.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carr |first=Al |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/385264420/?terms=Lenarduzzi |title=Surf Gets Off To A Good Start |date=November 29, 1979 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=March 29, 2020 |page=III-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/493141184/?terms=Lenarduzzi%2Bloan |title='Cap aids Aztecs in NASL indoor tilt |date=December 19, 1979 |work=Vancouver Sun |access-date=March 29, 2020 |page=C3}}</ref> Vancouver did participate in three subsequent indoor seasons, and Lenarduzzi featured in all three for the Whitecaps.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nasljerseys.com/Rosters/Whitecaps_Rosters.htm#1980 |title=Vancouver Whitecaps seasons}}</ref>

==National team playing career==
Lenarduzzi earned 48 caps playing for Canada. He played all the country's matches both as the squad progressed to the quarterfinals of the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] and as it participated in the first round of the [[1986 World Cup]] finals.<ref name = "CSA"/>

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.''
{| class="wikitable"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1 || 22 December 1976|| [[Stade Sylvio Cator]], [[Port-au-Prince]], Haiti || {{fb|USA}} || 2–0 || 3–0 || [[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 2 || 16 October 1977|| [[Estadio Azteca]], [[Mexico City]], Mexico || {{fb|GUA}} || 2–0 || 2–1 || [[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 3 || 15 September 1980|| [[Empire Stadium (Vancouver)|Empire Stadium]], [[Vancouver]], Canada || {{fb|NZL}} || 1–0 || 4–0 || [[Friendly match]]
|-
| 4 || 17 September 1980|| [[Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton)|Commonwealth Stadium]], [[Edmonton]], Canada || {{fb|NZL}} || 1–0 || 3–0 || [[Friendly match]]
|-
| 5 || 14 October 1981|| Stade Pierre-Antonius, [[Pointe-à-Pitre]], Guadeloupe || {{fb|GPE|local}} || 1–0 || 2–1 || [[Friendly match]]
|}

==Coaching career==
Lenarduzzi resumed his pro career in 1987 as a player–coach with the newly formed [[Vancouver 86ers]] of the newly founded [[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)|Canadian Soccer League]]. After retiring permanently from playing in September 1988, he continued to coach the 86ers for the next five seasons. He led the franchise to four consecutive CSL titles from 1988 to 1991. His team set a record for professional North American sports teams by going 46 games unbeaten between June 6, 1988, and August 8, 1989.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2010/06/03/chapter-2-86ers-years |title=Chapter 2: The 86ers Years &#124; Vancouver Whitecaps FC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vancourier.com/news/archives-vancouver-86ers-kick-off-record-undefeated-streak-1.1959829 |title=Archives: Vancouver 86ers kick off record undefeated streak |last=Fleming |first=Andrew |website=Vancouver Courier}}</ref>

===Canada national team===

Lenarduzzi was the head coach for the Canadian men's national team briefly in 1989 and for a longer term that started in 1992.<ref name = "CSA">{{Cite web |url=https://canadasoccer.com/index.php?pid=1866&t=profile |title=Canada Soccer |website=canadasoccer.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/bob-lenarduzzi |title=Bob Lenarduzzi &#124; Vancouver Whitecaps FC}}</ref> In his first of two bids to see Canada back through to a World Cup finals, his squad twice came close but failed to progress to the [[1994 Football World Cup|1994]] finals. First they lost at home to [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]] despite scoring the game's first goal in a game with which Canada could have gone through to the finals with a win. (See [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)]].) As [[CONCACAF]] qualifying winners-up, Canada then lost the away leg to [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia]] in a match decided by penalty kicks that saw the winner of the home-and-away series go on to play [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] in a home-and-away series for a finals spot (won by Argentina).

In qualifying for the [[1998 Football World Cup|1998]] finals, Canada failed to finish in the top three of a six-nation CONCACAF final qualifying round league tournament and progress. (See [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)]].) Lenarduzzi subsequently resigned his post in 1997.

==Administrative career==
Lenarduzzi served as 86ers general manager from 1988 to 1993. He resumed the post in 1998 and was named the [[USL First Division|A-League]]'s executive of the year for 2000. In 2001, he also assumed the position of the Whitecaps Head of Soccer Operations. (The 86ers changed their name to Whitecaps in 2001.)

During the 2008 MLS season, Lenarduzzi served as colour commentator during [[CBC Television]]'s [[Toronto FC]] broadcasts before [[Jason DeVos]] arrived to fill the position on a more permanent basis.

Lenarduzzi was the president of [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]] from the time it entered [[Major League Soccer]] until August 15, 2019, when the role was eliminated in favour of the role of sporting director. He then became club liaison.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bob-lenarduzzi-vancouver-whitecaps-president-sporting-director-1.5249989 |title=Lenarduzzi out as Whitecaps president as club seeks sporting director |last=Sciarpelletti |first=Laura |date=August 16, 2019 |website=[[CBC Sports]] |access-date=August 16, 2019}}</ref>

==Recognition==
In 2001, Lenarduzzi was inducted as a player into the [[Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-28 |title=Profile - Canada Soccer |url=https://canadasoccer.com/profile/ |access-date=2023-12-19 |language=en-CA}}</ref> In 2005, he was awarded the [[Order of British Columbia]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Secretariat |first=Intergovernmental Relations |title=Members of the Order of British Columbia: I–L - Province of British Columbia |url=https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/honours-and-awards/order-of-bc/members/i-l#BobLenarduzzi |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=www2.gov.bc.ca}}</ref> In 2003, he was inducted into the U.S. [[National Soccer Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bob Lenarduzzi - 2003 Inductee {{!}} National Soccer Hall of Fame |url=http://www.nationalsoccerhof.com/players/bob-lenarduzzi.html |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=Bob Lenarduzzi - 2003 Inductee {{!}} National Soccer Hall of Fame |language=en}}</ref> Lenarduzzi was voted one of the Top 30 Players of the Century in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football ([[CONCACAF]]) region.

==Honours==
'''Canada'''
*[[CONCACAF Championship]]: [[1985 CONCACAF Championship|1985]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/conca85det.html|title=Torneo Premundial 1985 (IX Campeonato de Naciones (NORCECA) CONCACAF)|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Canada Soccer player|id=1866}} / [[Canada Soccer Hall of Fame]]
*[https://www.nationalsoccerhof.com/players/bob-lenarduzzi.html National Soccer Hall of Fame profile]

{{Navboxes
| title = Canada squads
| bg    = red
| fg    = white
| list1 = 
{{Canada football squad 1984 Summer Olympics}}
{{Canada squad 1985 CONCACAF Championship}}
{{Canada squad 1986 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Canada futsal squad 1989 World Cup}}
{{Canada squad 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{Canada squad 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}
{{1979 NASL All-Stars}}
{{1982 NASL All-Stars}}
{{1984 NASL All-Stars}}
{{National Soccer Hall of Fame members}}
{{Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame}}
{{Canada national soccer team managers}}
{{Vancouver Whitecaps coaches}}
{{Canadian soccer first tier championship-winning managers}}
{{Vancouver Whitecaps FC}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenarduzzi, Bob}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1986 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Canadian soccer commentators]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Men's association football utility players]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Vancouver]]
[[Category:Canada men's international soccer players]]
[[Category:Canada men's national soccer team managers]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent]]
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[[Category:Canada Soccer Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992) players]]
[[Category:Canadian men's soccer players]]
[[Category:CONCACAF Championship–winning players]]
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[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Aztecs players]]
[[Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of British Columbia]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players]]
[[Category:National Soccer Hall of Fame members]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players]]
[[Category:Olympic soccer players for Canada]]
[[Category:Reading F.C. players]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Vancouver]]
[[Category:Tacoma Stars players]]
[[Category:USL First Division coaches]]
[[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–1984) coaches]]
[[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–1984) players]]
[[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010) coaches]]
[[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010) players]]
[[Category:ICSF Columbus FC players]]
[[Category:People of Friulian descent]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen]]