Viorel Mateianu

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Viorel Mateianu (born June 1, 1938 in Lipăneşti, Prahova – died November 25, 1997 in Bucharest) was a Romanian football player and coach.

He is renowned as a coach for his interesting football experiment, Morişca ("The Hand-Mill"), in which the strikers and midfielders swap places during the game. Mateianu was experimental throughout his coaching career, in the process revolutionizing Romanian football. To him a football team was before anything else a family.

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[edit] Playing career

Mateianu was one of the finest playmakers of Romanian football during the 1960s, and was also noted for fair play during matches.

After playing for Petrolistul Boldesti and then Progresul Bucharest as a youth, Mateianu made his debut at the senior level in 1957, aged 19, when he was enrolled in Progresul's first squad. After just one year he signed to U Cluj, returning to Progresul in 1961.

In 1970 Mateianu was allowed by the communist authorities to play in Western Europe. He was signed by the German team TUS Wannsee in the same year, and later transferred to Alemannia Aachen. He retired from professional football in 1973.

Mateianu won six caps for Romania, scoring twice.

[edit] Coaching career

Just a few months after returning from Germany, Mateianu was given the role of head coach at his former club, Progresul Bucharest, now playing in Liga II.

His first triumph as a coach came in 1976, when Progresul were promoted back to Liga I, but having failed to keep the team in the top league he was sacked in 1977.

After leaving Progresul, Mateianu returned to Liga II, taking over at FC Baia Mare. After just one season, his team was promoted to the top league and then enjoyed its golden era, finishing fourth in Liga I in 1978-79 and 1979-80. However, Mateianu was sacked during the 1980-81 season after a series of poor results.

After another short spell with Progresul Bucharest in 1981, he was hired by Petrolul Ploieşti for the 1982-83 season and then by Progresul Brăila in the following season.

In 1984 he returned to Liga I after being requested by Jiul Petroşani, but was soon sacked for poor results. Returning to Bucharest, he took over Danubiana Bucharest for a season, before being signed by FC Bihor Oradea in 1986. In 1987 he coached AS Drobeta Turnu Severin for one season, before spending his last season as a coach, 1988-89, at FC Bihor Oradea.

[edit] Trivia

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