Cosmin Olaroiu
Encyclopedia
Aurelian Cosmin Olăroiu is a former Romania
n football
player and football manager.
and Naţional Bucureşti. However, he also played with success in K-League
for Suwon Samsung Bluewings
and helped the team to win two league titles (1998, 1999). He also won the Korean League Cup
and twice the Korean Supercup
.
in the same year.
He started his coaching career in 2000 at Naţional Bucureşti, finishing a respectable 7th in his first season. During the following season, Naţional Bucureşti became a challenger to the Romanian football championship title. However they lost the leader position in the last game of the season, against Universitatea Craiova
.
In 2002, Olăroiu signs for Steaua Bucureşti but resists only seven games, championship start in. At the time of his resignation there were voices that said that Olăroiu managed results with Naţional Bucureşti because there was no pressure—Naţional Bucureşti being renowned as a team with only few, but devoted supporters—while at Steaua Bucureşti pressure is everywhere. It has been also told that Olăroiu was sacked by the club president Viorel Păunescu as advised by Victor Piţurcă
, head coach before 2002 and general manager at that time, who wanted to return to head-coaching.
After leaving Steaua Bucureşti, Olăroiu returns to Naţional Bucureşti, this time as a general manager. In 2003 he is named head coach again, replacing Walter Zenga
.
In the winter of 2004 a very controversial Romanian businessman, Marian Iancu
buys Politehnica Timişoara, and, at his request, Olăroiu is signed head coach. Olăroiu did not go emptyhanded at Politehnica Timişoara but together with the best players from Naţional Bucureşti. He managed some interesting results, finishing fourth in Divizia A, but in November 2005 he was sacked by the same Marian Iancu.
Just days after being sacked from Politehnica Timişoara, where he left the team fourth in the league, Olăroiu is signed by Gigi Becali
, the new president, and this time owner, of Steaua Bucureşti, to replace Oleh Protasov.
Olăroiu's first championship title as coach came in June 2006 and then one month later his team also won the Supercupa României. In May 2006, Steaua Bucureşti coached by Olăroiu reached the semifinals of the UEFA Cup. A season later Olăroiu qualified in the UEFA Champions League
groups where they played against Dinamo Kiev
(crushing them 4–1), Real Madrid
and Olympique Lyon. There, Olăroiu obtained the third place, securing a UEFA Cup place.
In 2007, Olăroiu signed for Al-Hilal
, supposedly drawn by the more attractive financial aspects that are typical of Saudi football. In 2008, he again proved his coaching worth, reaching the U-23 cup final, winning the Crown Prince Cup
and the league title with Al-Hilal
. He also won his second Crown Prince Cup
before leaving the team in February 2009, while leading them to the first position in the Saudi League.
On April 2009, he signed a two-year contract with Al-Sadd of Qatar
. On 24 December 2010, Olăroiu resigned his contract with Al Sadd.
On 5 May 2011, Olăroiu was named supervisor for Steaua Bucureşti for the last three matches of Liga I in the 2010–11
season and 2011 Cupa României Final
. Steaua's assistant coach, Gabriel Caramarin
took charge of the team as caretaker manager, for the last remaining games.
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Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and football manager.
Club career
As a player, Olăroiu's best-known clubs he played for are Universitatea CraiovaFC Universitatea Craiova
Fotbal Club Universitatea Craiova is a Romanian professional football club from Craiova. They became the first Romanian football team to reach the semi-finals of a European tournament, during the UEFA Cup in 1982–83...
and Naţional Bucureşti. However, he also played with success in K-League
K-League
The Korea Professional Football League is South Korea's only fully professional association football league. At the top of the South Korean football league system, it is the country's highest and most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs.-Establishment:The...
for Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Suwon Samsung Bluewings is a South Korean football club based in the city of Suwon, South Korea, that plays in the K-League. Founded in December 1995, they have become one of Asian football's most famous clubs with a host of domestic and continental honours...
and helped the team to win two league titles (1998, 1999). He also won the Korean League Cup
K-League Cup
The K-League Cup or Korean League Cup is a Korean professional football competition.The origin competition is the Professional Football Championship.This tournament played in 1986 can be seen as a forerunner of this competition....
and twice the Korean Supercup
Korean Super Cup
The Super Cup was a traditional curtain-raiser to the Korean football season since its inception in 1999. Played between the K-League champions and Korean FA Cup holders, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are the only non-champions to have lifted the Super Cup trophy....
.
Coaching career
At the age of only 37, Olăroiu managed some impressive results in his very short coaching career, winning the Romanian football championship and the Supercupa României with Steaua Bucureşti, both in 2006, and qualifying the team in the semifinals of the UEFA CupUEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
in the same year.
He started his coaching career in 2000 at Naţional Bucureşti, finishing a respectable 7th in his first season. During the following season, Naţional Bucureşti became a challenger to the Romanian football championship title. However they lost the leader position in the last game of the season, against Universitatea Craiova
FC Universitatea Craiova
Fotbal Club Universitatea Craiova is a Romanian professional football club from Craiova. They became the first Romanian football team to reach the semi-finals of a European tournament, during the UEFA Cup in 1982–83...
.
In 2002, Olăroiu signs for Steaua Bucureşti but resists only seven games, championship start in. At the time of his resignation there were voices that said that Olăroiu managed results with Naţional Bucureşti because there was no pressure—Naţional Bucureşti being renowned as a team with only few, but devoted supporters—while at Steaua Bucureşti pressure is everywhere. It has been also told that Olăroiu was sacked by the club president Viorel Păunescu as advised by Victor Piţurcă
Victor Piturca
Victor Piţurcă is a Romanian football manager and former player.-Club career:Piţurcă was one of the prolific strikers of Steaua Bucureşti, being one of the team's top scorers – he scored 137 goals in 174 league games...
, head coach before 2002 and general manager at that time, who wanted to return to head-coaching.
After leaving Steaua Bucureşti, Olăroiu returns to Naţional Bucureşti, this time as a general manager. In 2003 he is named head coach again, replacing Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga is a retired Italian footballer and current manager. He is a long-time goalkeeper for the Italian national team and Internazionale. He also holds Romanian citizenship...
.
In the winter of 2004 a very controversial Romanian businessman, Marian Iancu
Marian Iancu
Marian Alexandru Iancu is a Romanian businessman, president of the UK based Oil-company Balkan Petroleum, , as well as president of Romanian football club FC Politehnica Timişoara.-References:...
buys Politehnica Timişoara, and, at his request, Olăroiu is signed head coach. Olăroiu did not go emptyhanded at Politehnica Timişoara but together with the best players from Naţional Bucureşti. He managed some interesting results, finishing fourth in Divizia A, but in November 2005 he was sacked by the same Marian Iancu.
Just days after being sacked from Politehnica Timişoara, where he left the team fourth in the league, Olăroiu is signed by Gigi Becali
Gigi Becali
George Becali is a controversial Romanian politician and businessman, mostly known for his involvement in the Steaua Bucureşti football club.He has been a Member of the European Parliament since June 2009.-Biography:...
, the new president, and this time owner, of Steaua Bucureşti, to replace Oleh Protasov.
Olăroiu's first championship title as coach came in June 2006 and then one month later his team also won the Supercupa României. In May 2006, Steaua Bucureşti coached by Olăroiu reached the semifinals of the UEFA Cup. A season later Olăroiu qualified in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
groups where they played against Dinamo Kiev
FC Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football...
(crushing them 4–1), Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and Olympique Lyon. There, Olăroiu obtained the third place, securing a UEFA Cup place.
In 2007, Olăroiu signed for Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club , also known simply as Al-Hilal, is a Saudi Arabian sports club based in the country's capital of Riyadh and best known for its professional football team, known as Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club...
, supposedly drawn by the more attractive financial aspects that are typical of Saudi football. In 2008, he again proved his coaching worth, reaching the U-23 cup final, winning the Crown Prince Cup
Crown Prince Cup
The Crown Prince Cup, officially known as , is the top knockout tournament of the Saudi Arabia football.The King's Cup, officially known as , was a Saudi football tournament created in 1956...
and the league title with Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club , also known simply as Al-Hilal, is a Saudi Arabian sports club based in the country's capital of Riyadh and best known for its professional football team, known as Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club...
. He also won his second Crown Prince Cup
Crown Prince Cup
The Crown Prince Cup, officially known as , is the top knockout tournament of the Saudi Arabia football.The King's Cup, officially known as , was a Saudi football tournament created in 1956...
before leaving the team in February 2009, while leading them to the first position in the Saudi League.
On April 2009, he signed a two-year contract with Al-Sadd of Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
. On 24 December 2010, Olăroiu resigned his contract with Al Sadd.
On 5 May 2011, Olăroiu was named supervisor for Steaua Bucureşti for the last three matches of Liga I in the 2010–11
2010–11 Liga I
The 2010–11 Liga I was the ninety-third season of the top-level football league of Romania. The season commenced on 23 July 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A winter break where no matches were played was held between December 11, 2010 and February 18, 2011...
season and 2011 Cupa României Final
2011 Cupa României Final
The 2011 Cupa României Final was the 11th final of the Cupa României between the archrivals Dinamo Bucureşti and Steaua Bucureşti.. The match took place on 25 May 2011 at the Silviu Ploeşteanu stadium in Braşov...
. Steaua's assistant coach, Gabriel Caramarin
Gabriel Caramarin
Gabriel Gheorghe Caramarin is a retired Romanian football player, and current assistant coach of Anorthosis Famagusta....
took charge of the team as caretaker manager, for the last remaining games.
Club statistics
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JEF United Ichihara Chiba
is a Japanese professional football club that plays in J. League Division 2. On February 1, 2005, the club changed its name from JEF United Ichihara to the current name after Chiba city had joined Ichihara, Chiba as its hometown in 2003. The club name, JEF -taken from JR East and Furukawa Electric-...
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