Football Journey: October 2017

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

First Division. Well, three teams were going down. One club was hopeless outsider – Progresul (Bucharest). They were last with 20 points.
The other two relegated teams were not so obvious – the season was practically a race for survival, involving 11 of the 18 league members. The unlucky ones were UT Arad - 17^th with 29 points, and Universitatea (Cluj) - 16^th with 30 points. They were relegated unfortunately – on worse goal-difference.
ASA Targu Mures was the lucky team this year – they escaped relegation on better goal-difference, ending 15^th.

Politehnica (Timisoara) was a bit better - 11^th with 32 points.

Arges (Pitesti) was no among the favourites this season, but among those trying to survive – they did, ending 10^th, ahead of Politehnica (Timisoara) only on better goal-difference.
SC Bacau topped the huge group of outsiders -7^th with 33 points. Only 6 clubs were strong, but they were divided into two groups as well – 4 teams had nothing to do with winning the title.

Steaua (Bucharest) was 6^th – a very weak season for them and this was strange, for Steaua had strong team – as far as names go – as usual. Most likely Steaua was caught in the familiar painful moment when generational change was in order, but they failed to act decisively. Still 37 points was pitiful record.

With 38 points Sportul Studentesc (Bucharest) took the 5^th place. Not a great scorers – their goal-difference was curious: 36-36 – but they were very difficult to beat (only the champions lost fewer matches then them) and at the end finished pretty much where they usually were at that time: near the top, but not title contenders.

Olt (Scornicesti) was 4^th with 39 points, enjoying the best period of their history. How long this would last was anybody guess, but so far – so good.

The bid surprise this season – Corvinul (Hunedoara). Bronze medals for a club more familiar with second division football. They edged Olt on goal-difference, having arguably their best ever season. Title contenders they were not.
Only two teams competed for the title, unconcerned for anything and anybody – familiar names: Universitatea (Craiova) and Dinamo (Bucharest).

Universitatea continued to maintain their leading position in Romanian football, but lost the title by points, finishing 2^nd with 45 points and best league scoring record – 67 goals. Nothing to worry, though – the squad was strong and full of current national team players.
With 47 points Dinamo (Bucharest) won the 1981-82 Romanian championship.

Up: Ion Marginean, Cornel Dinu, Ion Marin, Gh.Dumitrescu, Iosif Lovas, Dumitru Moraru, C-tin Eftimescu, Adrian Bumbescu, Laurentiu Moldovan, Teofil Stredie, Nelu Stanescu;
Middle: Paul Moga (official), Alexandru Chiritescu (physical preparator), Mircea Cristea (doctor), Valentin Stanescu (coach), Dumitru Nicolae-Nicusor (coach), Andrei Marin (coach);
Bellow: Cornel Talnar, Florea Vaetus, Dorel Zamfir, Gheorghe Multescu, Dudu Georgescu, Marin Dragnea, Pompiliu Iordache, Costel Orac, Nicusor Vlad;
Note: Ionel Augustin and Alexandru Custov are missing from photo.

Not an overwhelming victory, but no matter – Dinamo had strong squad and although the great scorer Dudu Georgescu was aging, it was younger team than the one the arch-rivals Steaua had. The players were not well known abroad, but some will be and soon.