Jordi Virgili thrilled at debut Scottish season

May 27 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

Jordi Virgili

JORDI VIRGILI has enjoyed a stunning debut season in Scottish football.

The Spanish full-back has looked a class act in the Rose defence and he has played a key role in helping them to Scottish Cup glory.

Virgili has a prized Junior Scottish Cup gong to show for his campaign so far, but in a stark contrast, one of his former team mates at Barcelona C – the Spanish champions’ third team – Pedro, is busy preparing for the World Cup.

But the buccaneering left-back insists he is loving life in Scotland and he is keen to continue his football education with a step up to the senior game.

Speaking after the match, Virgili told the Courier: “I’m very happy for myself, the manager and the supporters as well and it is an amazing feeling to have won the trophy.

“It has been my first season here in Scotland and it has been a great one for me.

“I have managed to win the best cup at our level, which is great for me and the team.

“It isn’t over yet in the league but it won’t be easy to win it, but we’ll do our best to stop Bo’ness.”

Sunday’s weather was more akin to his native Spain than to Kilmarnock but even Virgili admits the searing heat made life difficult.

“It is hard to play in weather which is so warm,” he confessed.

“At the end of the game, we finished with only 10 players and I was struggling a little bit with cramp.

“We were all tired and it was a hard game but we are all very, very happy to have won.

“Largs played well and it was a hard match for us. The pitch was very wide as well and there was a lot of space for us.

“To be honest, they made the match more difficult for us than I expected it to be.”

Virgili spent a number of years playing in Spain and he counts World Cup-bound winger Pedro and Nou Camp hot prospect Victor Sanchez among his former team-mates.

While his old pals strutted their stuff with the La Liga champs, Virgili came to Scotland to finish his degree at Aberdeen University and he revealed he spent some time on trial with Arbroath before joining Rose.

“I played two years in the Third Division, then a season with the third team of Barcelona,” he explained.

“The football was a little different to what it is here in Scotland.

“I don’t actually keep in touch with Pedro or any of the guys that were in the side then – not for any other reason than we went different ways.

“I had a few weeks at Arbroath on trial and I enjoyed it but then I was put in touch with Linlithgow and Dave Baikie and it has been a great move for me.

“The whole season has been a really enjoyable experience for me.”

The flying full-back has caught the eye for Rose this season but the honest 25-year-old admits he is desperate to land a move to a senior club after a dream debut campaign in the Juniors.

He added: “Until the end of the season, I’ll be playing for Linlithgow Rose and trying to help the team win more trophies and trying to enjoy our football.

“After that, I would like to continue to step up in Scottish football and move up to the senior leagues.

“I tried to do my best today and I’ll keep doing that every week and maybe a scout or coach will see me and maybe give me a chance.

“I want to be here in Scotland for a few years yet.”