Cosmin Olăroiu

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Cosmin Olăroiu

Olăroiu as coach of Steaua Bucharest
Personal information
Full nameAurelian Cosmin Olăroiu
Date of birth (1969-06-10) 10 June 1969
Place of birthBucharest, Romania
Height1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionCentre back
Club information
Current clubAl Ahli (manager)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1989–1990Gloria Buzău
1990–1991MECON București
1991–1992Girueta București
1992–1995Naţional Bucureşti80(8)
1995–1997Universitatea Craiova37(2)
1997–2000Suwon Bluewings98(7)
2000JEF United10(0)
Total225(17)
Teams managed
2000–2002Naţional Bucureşti
2002Steaua Bucureşti
2002–2005Naţional Bucureşti
2005Politehnica Timişoara
2006–2007Steaua Bucureşti
2007–2009Al-Hilal
2009–2010Al-Sadd
2011–2013Al Ain
2013–Al Ahli
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Cosmin Olăroiu (born 10 June 1969 in Bucharest) is a retired Romanian football player and currently the football manager of UAE side Al Ahli. He is considered one of the greatest managers in the Arabian Peninsula, having led the most decorated clubs of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates (Al Hilal, Al Sadd and Al Ain) to new trophies.

Olăroiu also managed some other impressive results in his very short coaching career before arriving in the region, in his country Romania. During the 2001–02 season, Naţional Bucureşti under his managership became a challenger for the national championship title. However, they lost the leader position in the last game of the season, against Universitatea Craiova, and the title went to Dinamo Bucharest. He won the Romanian League and the Supercupa României with Steaua Bucureşti, both in 2006, and qualified the team in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in the same year.[1]

He was chosen Romanian Coach of the Year in 2006.

Club career

As a player, Olăroiu's best-known clubs he played for are Universitatea Craiova 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.[1]

Coaching career

Romania

He started his coaching career during the 2000–01 season at Naţional Bucureşti, finishing a respectable 7th in his first season.[1] During the following season, 2001–02, he guided the club to a second-place finish above teams like Steaua and Rapid Bucureşti.[2]

In summer 2002, Olăroiu signed for Steaua Bucureşti.[3] He resigned after only seven league games, blaming the decision on a lack of support from the board and players. The club president Viorel Păunescu re-appointed Victor Piţurcă, former manager before 2002 who wanted to return to head-coaching and was still highly regarded by the players.[4]

After leaving Steaua București, Olăroiu returned to Național București, this time as a general manager. In 2003, he was named head coach again, replacing Walter Zenga.[5]

In the winter of 2004, Olăroiu joined Politehnica Timişoara and brought with him the best players from Național București. He led them to a historical fourth place finish in Divizia A, but in November 2005 he was sacked by the club's owner Marian Iancu who replaced him with .[1]

Steaua București & European campaigns success

Just some days after, Olăroiu was appointed manager by Gigi Becali, the new president, and this time owner, of Steaua Bucureşti, to replace Oleh Protasov.[6] His first championship title as coach came in June 2006 and then one month later his team also won the Supercupa României. In May 2006, Olăroiu reached the semi-finals of the 2005–06 UEFA Cup.[7] He also helped Steaua to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stages,[8] where they played against Dinamo Kiev, Real Madrid and Olympique Lyon.[1] Steaua secured a third place and a spot in the UEFA Cup knockout rounds.[1]

Al-Hilal

Olăroiu in Gulf

In June 2007, Olăroiu signed for Al-Hilal, supposedly drawn by the more attractive financial aspects that are typical of Saudi Arabian football.[9] In 2008, he again proved his coaching worth, winning the Crown Prince Cup and the Saudi Premier League title. He also won his second Crown Prince Cup, before leaving the team in February 2009, while leading them to the first position in the national championship.[10]

Al-Sadd

On April 2009, he signed a two-year contract with Al-Sadd.[11] In December 2010, Olăroiu announced his resignation as club boss immediately after leading his side to the Qatari Stars Cup.[12]

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.[1]

Al Ain

In summer 2011, Cosmin Olăroiu was hired as Al Ain manager on a two-year contract. He steered the club away from the relegation zone, before leading them to the United Arab Emirates Pro-League title in the 2011–12 season.[13] On September 18, 2012, he also won the UAE Super Cup with Al Ain.[14]

He then repeated the performance the following season, winning a consecutive title for Al Ain.[15] In June 2013, Olăroiu signed a contract extension with Al Ain reportedly worth €4 million a season after penning new two-year deal.[16] However, the contract was terminated on 1 July 2013.

Al Ahli

On 6 July 2013, it was announced that Olăroiu signed a three-year contract with Dubai side Al Ahli.[17] On 30 August, Olăroiu won his first match in charge of Al Ahli against his former club Al Ain in the Super Cup final.[18]

Honours

Player

Suwon Bluewings
  • Korean League: 1998, 1999
  • Korean League Cup: 1999, 2000
  • Korean Supercup: 1999, 2000

Manager

Steaua Bucharest
  • Romanian League: 2005–06
  • Romanian Supercup: 2006
  • UEFA Cup: 2005-06 Semi-finals
Al-Hilal
Al-Sadd
Al-Ain
Al Ahli
  • UAE Super Cup: 2013

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Portretul lui Olăroiu, antrenorul adus de Becali să salveze Steaua: cifre, culise, imagini" (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 5 May 2011. 
  2. ↑ "Romania round-up: Dinamo snatch title on final day". UEFA. 1 June 2002. 
  3. ↑ "Olaroiu makes capital move". UEFA. 25 June 2002. 
  4. ↑ "Unhappy Olaroiu quits Steaua". UEFA. 18 October 2002. 
  5. ↑ "All change at National". UEFA. 10 September 2003. 
  6. ↑ "Romania gears up for restart". UEFA. 8 March 2006. 
  7. ↑ "Steaua's tower of strength". UEFA. 11 April 2006. 
  8. ↑ "Steaua fulfil Becali's dream". UEFA. 24 August 2006. 
  9. ↑ "Hagi takes charge at Steaua". UEFA. 25 June 2007. 
  10. ↑ "Al Ain appoint Romanian Cosmin Olaroiu as coach". The National. 7 June 2011. 
  11. ↑ "Qatar: Al Sadd appoint Cosmin Olaroiu as Coach". Goal.com. 17 April 2009. 
  12. ↑ "Trio of coaches leave Middle East". FIFA. 23 December 2010. 
  13. ↑ "Al Ain coach Cosmin Olaroiu hails 'perfect' players after clinching UAE Pro-League title". Goal.com. 28 April 2012. 
  14. ↑ "Super Cup: Goalkeeper is hero for Al Ain after penalty drama". The National. 18 September 2012. 
  15. ↑ "Asamoah Gyan hat-trick wins Al Ain an 11th Etisalat Pro League title". gulfnews.com. 18 April 2013. 
  16. ↑ "Cosmin Olaroiu extends Al Ain contract". gulfnews.com. 9 June 2013. 
  17. ↑ "Cosmin Olaroiu confirmed as Al Ahli coach on three-year deal". alahliclub.ae (official website). 6 July 2013. 
  18. ↑ "Majed Nasser the penalty shootout hero for Al Ahli". gulfnews.com. 30 August 2013. 

External links


Al Ahli Dubai – current squad
FC Steaua București – managers
(c) caretaker
Al Sadd – managers
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