Júnior Rocha
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 Júnior Rocha in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dilceu Rocha Júnior | ||
| Date of birth | 21 April 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | São Leopoldo, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Paysandu (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Aimoré | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2004 | RS Futebol | ||
| 2005 | 15 de Novembro | 2 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Ulbra | ||
| 2006 | Novo Hamburgo | ||
| 2007 | 15 de Novembro | 4 | (0) |
| 2007 | Ulbra | ||
| 2008–2011 | Luverdense | (11) | |
| 2009 | → Sinop (loan) | ||
| 2011 | → Coruripe (loan) | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011 | Chimarrão (youth) | ||
| 2011 | Aimoré (youth) | ||
| 2012 | Novo Hamburgo (youth) | ||
| 2013 | Luverdense U20 | ||
| 2013 | Luverdense (assistant) | ||
| 2013–2014 | Luverdense | ||
| 2015–2016 | Luverdense | ||
| 2017 | Novorizontino | ||
| 2017 | Luverdense | ||
| 2018 | Santa Cruz | ||
| 2018 | CRB | ||
| 2019 | Luverdense | ||
| 2020 | Votuporanguense | ||
| 2020 | Barra-SC | ||
| 2021 | Ypiranga | ||
| 2022 | Figueirense | ||
| 2023–2024 | Inter de Limeira | ||
| 2024 | Guarani | ||
| 2024–2025 | Ferroviária | ||
| 2025 | Caxias | ||
| 2026– | Paysandu | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Dilceu Rocha Júnior (born 21 April 1981), known as Júnior Rocha, is a Brazilian football coach and former player who played as a forward.[1] He is the current head coach of Paysandu.
Born in São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Júnior Rocha played for Aimoré as a youth before making his senior debut with RS Futebol, and played with Thiago Silva at the latter.[2] In the 2005 season, he was a part of the 15 de Novembro which reached the 2005 Campeonato Gaúcho finals, but was rarely used.
Júnior Rocha subsequently moved to Ulbra[3] before returning to 15 de Novembro in 2007, but was announced at Luverdense in November of that year.[4] In 2009, he helped the latter to win the year's Campeonato Mato-Grossense, being the competition's top scorer with eight goals; later in that year, he also played in the Copa FMF with Sinop.[5]
Júnior Rocha began the 2011 campaign with Coruripe,[6] but subsequently returned to LEC for the remainder of the year. After being released prior to the 2011 Série C, he retired at the age of 30.[2]
Coaching career
Shortly after retiring, Júnior Rocha began his coaching career after being named coach of Chimarrão FC, a popular youth club in his native state.[2] He subsequently worked in the youth sides of Aimoré and Novo Hamburgo before returning to Luverdense on 14 January 2013, as head coach of the under-19 team.[7]
In April 2013, Júnior Rocha became an assistant of Luverdense's main squad, before being appointed interim head coach on 29 June 2013, after the departure of Roberval Davino.[8] Permanently named head coach in July,[9] and led the club to a promotion to the Série B.
On 13 October 2014, Júnior Rocha was dismissed from LEC after a 3–0 loss to Paraná.[10] The following 23 February, however, he returned to the club, replacing sacked Leandro Niehues,[11] and led them to the Mato-Grossense title.
On 14 November 2016, Júnior Rocha was announced as head coach of Novorizontino for the upcoming season.[12] Dismissed on 5 March of the following year, after just seven matches,[13] he returned to Luverdense twelve days later,[14] and won the 2017 Copa Verde with the side.
Júnior Rocha left Luverdense by mutual consent on 21 November 2017, after the club's relegation to the third division was confirmed.[15] On 7 December, he took over Santa Cruz for the ensuing campaign.[16]
On 15 April 2018, Júnior Rocha left Santa after receiving an offer from another club,[17] and was announced at the helm of CRB.[18] He was relieved from his duties at the latter on 27 June, after just 15 matches.[19]
On 2 November 2018, Júnior Rocha returned to Luverdense for his fourth spell as head coach.[20] He was sacked on 16 August, after the club's relegation to the Série D.[21]
On 3 February 2020, Júnior Rocha was announced as head coach of Votuporanguense.[22] He left the club amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,[23] and was announced at Barra-SC on 11 September.[24]
On 25 January 2021, Júnior Rocha was appointed head coach of Ypiranga-RS in the third division.[25] After narrowly missing out promotion, he left on 19 November,[26] and took over fellow league team Figueirense four days later.[27]
Júnior Rocha left Figueira on 2 November 2022, as his contract was not renewed.[28] The following 22 March, he replaced Pintado as Inter de Limeira head coach.[29]
Júnior Rocha qualified Inter to the 2024 Campeonato Paulista quarterfinals, where they were knocked out by Red Bull Bragantino. On 2 May of that year, he left after accepting an offer from Guarani in the second level,[30] but was dismissed from the latter after just 38 days.[31]
On 20 July 2024, Júnior Rocha replaced Vinícius Bergantin as head coach of Ferroviária in the third division.[32] He led the club to a promotion to the second tier after a 30-year absence, but was sacked the following 16 February after a poor start of the season.[33]
On 22 April 2025, Júnior Rocha agreed to become the head coach of Caxias back in the third tier.[34] Despite leading the first stage, his side missed out promotion in the second stage, and he left on 18 October.[35]
On 24 November 2025, Júnior Rocha was announced at Paysandu for the upcoming season.[36]
