• Name: Marc Rochester Sørensen
  • Age: 21 (13.12.1992)
  • Position: Striker
  • Club: FC Vestsjælland
  • International caps:
    • Denmark U20
      • 3 matches / 0 goals
  • Value: £225.000

After three years playing with his brother Lee, Marc Rochester Sørensen took the next step with a transfer to the Danish Superliga club FC Vestsjælland. This week we keep an eye on the talented attacking player.

Getting his football education in the small club Velo, before playing in the Danish 2. Division for BK Frem Marc Rochester ended up in HB Køge and their U19 squad. However, it didn't take long before the talent was given two friendlies and was promoted to the 1. Division squad. Soon after, his younger brother Lee was also promoted to the senior squad, and together they became a vital part of the squad. Rochester have enjoyed the special bond between his brother and himself, and says it have had an impact on their time in Køge:

"We complement each other; for example we talk a lot about how we can improve and do better for the team. On the pitch,  we find eachother easier and know what each of us are going to do next because we are brothers. It was a great advantage when we played together," Rochester Sørensen says.

During his time in Køge Marc Rochester tried both being promoted for the Danish Superliga as well as relegated to the 1. Division. Furthermore, in the week of his Superliga debut against AC Horsens, in 2011, he was also selected for the Danish U20 national team winning the NI Milk Cup. Here, Rochester Sørensen was nominated as the final and the tournaments best player. Despite the success, last summer the talent decided not to extend his stay in the club which he looks back on with joy:

“It was a great experience. When I came to HB Køge, I would never have thought I would play Superliga and 1. Division so soon, but when it happened it was very teaching and developing for me both mentally and as a footballer.

“I needed some new challenges, and I thought FC Vestsjælland sounded interesting. When I talked with the director, Gert [Hansen], he told me about the visions and ambitions. Furthermore, it was a great possibility for a young player as me to play in the Superliga," the striker says.

The break with HB Køge also meant a break with his brother - at least on the pitch. However, the two players still uses each other and exchange experiences and ideas, and hopes to one day play on the same side once again:

“It would be so cool to play with Lee again and have him close to me, so it would be great if he could find his way to me again.”

The two brothers were often compared to each other, but Rochester Sørensen sees some great differences between him and his brother:

In many aspects,  we are much alike, but we are also very different. Lee is the more aggressive player and is a bit more verbal where as I am more the silent type that let’s my feet do the talking.”

The talents new club, FC Vestsjælland, was promoted to the Superliga last summer and spend a great amount of money on new players. Some of them in the high end of the pay scale. Some Danish media was speculating in whether Rochester Sørensen joined Vestsjælland because of the better pay, but the striker denies any talks of money as a motivation. Instead, he joined the club to play on a higher level with some more experienced players as Dennis Sørensen with a past in the German 1. Bundesliga:

“It’s a challenge to compete with players who have played on a higher level, but also great to play with players who knows the game and have been a part of it for many years. It is a positive challenge, but I can also use them off the pitch and use their advices," the talent says.

Vestsjælland are fighting in the lower end of the table, but Rochester Sørensen is sure that his side will stay in the best Danish league when we reach the end of May. Despite being in a rather unknown club, Rochester Sørensen dreams of one day to take the next step and go abroad. A dream will be to put on the red Manchester United shirt; a team he has supported for many years. However, at the moment he is fully focused on helping Vestsjælland for at least the next three years of his contract.

Until further, the talent is satisfied just to watch his dream team on the tele back home. However, having an Arsenal fan as a brother have led to some discussions around the coffee table:

“There have been some fight in the living room, and it have not always been pretty to watch.

“But, I can’t say much when we are at the position as we are now, but I look back on the years when we always won," the Rochester ends.








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              Name: Lee Rochester Sørensen
               Age: 18 (30.04.1994)
          Position: Attacking midfield/Attacker
              Club: HB Køge
International caps: Denmark U18: 9 match(es)
                                 4 goal(s)
                    Denmark U17: 5 match(es)
                                 2 goal(s)
             Value: £225.000 (transfermarkt.co.uk)

34 matches and 3 goals in the age of 18, that is the statistic for Lee Rochester Sørensen. In 2011, only sixteen years old, he made his debut in the second best league in Denmark, becoming the youngest debutant for HB Køge ever. Only three matches later, he became the youngest goal scorer in the club.

“I’m proud of what I have achieved; however, it does not have a meaning for me. Even though, I am the youngest debutant and the youngest goal scorer, I have to show why and work harder to achieve some more”.

The young talent, who joined HBK from Team Lolland, describes himself as a skilled technician who is “dangerous with the ball and in the box”. In Køge, Rochester Sørensen is team mate with his two years older brother Marc Rochester Sørensen. A situation which the attacker is happy for whenever he needs support. However at times there are disadvantages:

“It is great to play with him on the pitch, as we know each other’s patterns and understand each other well. However, at times we are battling for the same position in the starting line, but there are never any bad feelings.”

Lee Rochester Sørensen had his debut for the Danish U17 national team against England, during the U17 EURO championship. A funny situation for the young Dane, as his father is from England. The Danish team had success at the EURO, and qualified for the World Cup, where they met Brazil, Australia and the Ivory Coast. Even though, Denmark was left with no chance against their opponents during the World Cup, Rochester Sørensen experienced success as he started and scored against Australia.

Lee Rochester has also had his matches on the U18 national team but is now pushing for a role on the U19 national team. Last week he was gathered with a group of young talents, trying to convince coach Thomas Frank, that he has the potential:

“I am taking one step at a time, and my goal is to be a part of the 18-man squad on the U19, U20 and U21. Then we will have to see, whether or not I will make it from there.”

While Lee Rochester’s father is English and his mother Danish, he also has Jamaican roots. However, the talent has not considered the Jamaican national team.

“I haven’t considered the Jamaican national team at all. However, if I ever should be so good [a footballer] I could play for the English national team, I would consider it. However, the Jamaican could be a possibility.”

At the moment, the attacker is prioritizing his career in HB Køge. However, he has dreams of something bigger than domestic football in Denmark. The biggest dream is to play in Arsenal, as he has been a fan since he was a child. The Arsenal-fan is confident that the Gunners will survive the sale of Robin van Persie and Alex Song:

“Of course, I am sorry that two of the best players from last season are gone. However, if we end in top four this season, I am sure we will be able to bring some better players to the squad”.

Who knows? A new name might be Lee Rochester Sørensen?

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