FC Petrolul Ploiești

Petrolul Ploiești
Full name Fotbal Club Petrolul Ploiești
Nickname(s)
  • Lupii Galbeni (The Yellow Wolves)
  • Galben-Albaștrii (The Yellow-Blues)
  • Petroliștii (The Oilmen)
Founded 1924
as FC Juventus București
Ground Stadionul Ilie Oană
Capacity 15,500[1]
President Daniel Capră
Coach Mircea Rednic
League Liga I
2013–14 Liga I, 3rd
Website Club home page

Fotbal Club Petrolul Ploiești (Romanian pronunciation: [peˈtrolul ploˈjeʃtʲ]), commonly known as Petrolul Ploiești, or simply as Petrolul, is a Romanian professional football club based in Ploiești, Prahova County, currently playing in the Liga I.

It was founded in 1924 as Juventus București, following the merger of Triumf București and Romcomit București. The Latin tradition cultivated by Juventus was illustrated by its emblem, which was based on the history of the foundation of Rome, where a she-wolf nursed Romulus and Remus.[2] The team's current home colors are yellow and dark blue. Accordingly, the players are nicknamed "The Yellow Wolves".

Petrolul have won the Liga I four times and the Cupa României three times since its establishment.

In February 2015 the club became insolvent, therefore participation in UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League is denied.[3]

History

Period Name
1924–1947 Juventus București
1947–1948 Distribuția București
1948–1949 Petrolul București
1949–1950 Competrol București
1950–1951 Partizanul București
1951–1952 Flacăra București
1952–1956 Flacăra Ploiești
1956–1957 Energia Ploiești
1957–1992 Petrolul Ploiești
1992–1993 FC Ploiești
1993– Petrolul Ploiești
Petrolul fans are best known in Romania for their 3D choreographies
The fans during the 2013 Romanian Cup Final in Bucharest
Petrolul versus Flamurtari Vlorë in the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League second qualifying round first leg

Early years

Their first national title came after six years, as Juventus were champions in the 1929-30 season. After the reorganisation of the Romanian football's division structure, Juventus played 7 consecutive seasons in Liga I, from 1933 to 1940. Following World War II, the club was promoted once again to Liga I, having finished in 1st place in the final Liga II season prior to the outbreak of war. From 1946-1952 Juventus had 6 consecutive seasons in Liga I; they also changed their name numerous times, being known as Distribuția, Competrol, Petrolul, Partizanul and Flacăra. In 1952 the club moved to Ploiești, and changed its name to Flacăra Ploiești accordingly.

They have won the Romanian top division 4 times, the last time in the 1965-66 season.

Their best European performance to date was reaching the quarter-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1962–63. After eliminating Spartak Brno (Czechoslovakia) and Leipzig XI (German Democratic Republic), they were finally defeated by the Hungarian side Ferencvárosi TC. In the 1995-1996 season they also managed to defeat Welsh side Wrexham FC narrowly over two games.

Recent history

Petrolul won the 2010–11 Liga II, and were promoted to Liga I following a 7-year absence.

2012–13 season

They finished third in the 2012–13 Liga I, as well as winning Cupa României for the third time in their history. The third place finish earned Petrolul a spot in the second qualifying round of the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League, with the club playing a European match following an 18-year absence.

2013–14 season

After defeating Víkingur Gøta and Vitesse, they were eliminated in the Europa League play-off round by Swansea City. During the winter transfer window, the team brought Adrian Mutu, a former Romanian international, which attracted media attention.[4] In January 2014, German automobile manufacturer Opel became Petrolul's shirt sponsor.[5] In April, Petrolul had the chance to qualify for their second consecutive Cupa României final, but lost the second leg of the semi-final against rivals Astra Giurgiu (2–1), after a 0–0 result at home.[6] The fans blamed Petrolul's administration for selling two of their best players (Hamza Younés and Damien Boudjemaa), and bringing Adrian Mutu and Ianis Zicu, who did not live up to expectations. Some also considered that the new manager, Răzvan Lucescu, wasn't a suitable replacer for Cosmin Contra, who left the club for Getafe in March.[7] Petrolul came third in the Liga I for a second successive season, thus again participating in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.

2014–15 season

Petrolul signed a one-year kit deal with American sportswear company Nike, after the association with Puma came to an end.[8] The club confirmed on its official website that Opel will continue being the shirt sponsor until the end of the season.[9] Acıbadem Healthcare Group also became the medical sponsor until the end of the season, with an extension option being available.[10] Using many players that would normally be substitutes and having a player sent off in the second half, Petrolul was beaten by Universitatea Cluj in the Cupa Ligii (English: League Cup) round of 16, a competition which was reenacted after fourteen years of pause.[11] After eliminating Flamurtari Vlorë, "The Yellow Wolves" confronted Czech side Viktoria Plzeň in the Europa League third qualifying round, a club which in the previous season took part in the Champions League group stage. After a draw at Ploiești (1–1), Petrolul impressively beat Viktoria scoring four goals and conceding only one.[12] The Romanian side's captain, 35-year-old Adrian Mutu, played a big role in his team's qualification, scoring both home and away.[13] However, losing both of the play-off legs against Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia, Petrolul yet again missed the chance of advancing to the group stage. On 16 September, coach Răzvan Lucescu was sacked.[14] Gheorghe Mulțescu took his place one day later.[15] After many rumours, Adrian Mutu eventually broke his contract with "The Oilmen", on the 26th.[16] He was the best paid footballer, and was often criticised for playing bad. Cosmin Contra, Petrolul's coach from October 2012 to March 2014, said that the signings of Adrian Mutu and Ianis Zicu (both joined in January 2014) were a "failure".[17] On 25 November, president Daniel Capră, general director Marius Bucuroiu and five other persons faced preventive detention for 24 hours, being suspected of tax evasion and money laundering.[18] The loss would amount to 15.4 million euros. The press suggested that these criminal matters could cause serious financial problems for Petrolul and important players might want to leave the club.[19] On 10 January 2015, ex-Standard Liège coach Mircea Rednic replaced Gheorghe Mulțescu on the bench.[20] At the beginning of February, due to president Capră still being under detention, the club faced financial problems and entered insolvency, meaning that the participation in UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League is denied.[3] During the winter transfer window, five footballers left Petrolul, including important ones like Juan Albín and Soni Mustivar. However, among others, Mircea Rednic convinced 31-year-old striker Mohamed Tchité, who spent most of his professional career in Belgium, with Standard Liége, Anderlecht and Club Brugge, and in Spain with Racing de Santander, to be part of the team until the end of the season at the least.[21] He made his début on 5 March in the first leg of the Romanian Cup semi-final against rivals Steaua București (FCSB), scoring his team's only goal in a 1–1 draw.[22]

Grounds

Ilie Oană
UEFA
Owner Consiliul Local Ploiești
Capacity 15,500[1]
Field size 105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
Surface Grass
Construction
Opened 25 September 2011
Construction cost €17,500,000
Architect Alpine Bau

Petrolul plays its home matches on the Ilie Oană Stadium. It can host UEFA Europa League semifinals and UEFA Champions League group matches, and is ranked as a UEFA Category 4 stadium.[23] It was inaugurated in September 2011 and has a current capacity of 15,500 spectators.[1] The construction is built on the site of the former Ilie Oană Stadium, which was completed in 1937. It is named after Ilie Oană, a famous player and coach.

Milestones

Rivalries

Main article(s): Former Ploiești derby

Petrolul's traditional, historic rival is Rapid București. Petrolul and Rapid fans have maintained a strong rivalry, despite long periods of not meeting when one or the other were playing in the second division. Petrolul won the 1965–66 Divizia A, while Rapid finished second. The following season, Rapid won its first national title after a match played on the Ilie Oană Stadium. These events are said to have started the rivalry.[25]

Petrolul maintains a mild rivalry with Astra Giurgiu, its former local enemy. Astra promoted for the first time to the Divizia A in 1998. It played in Ploiești until September 2012, when it was moved to Giurgiu by its owner, Ioan Niculae. Even after the move, the rivalry continues between the governances of the clubs.[26]

Rivalries with Steaua București and Dinamo București also exist.

Honours

Domestic

Liga I:

Liga II:

  • Winners (8): 1940–41, 1954, 1976–77, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1988–89, 2002–03, 2010–11
  • Runners-up (1): 1980–81

Cupa României:

Supercupa României:

  • Runners-up (2): 1995, 2013

Players

First team squad

As of 28 April 2015. [27]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Brazil GK Peterson Peçanha (captain)
2 Haiti DF Jean Sony Alcénat
4 Romania MF Ioan Filip
5 Romania MF Ciprian Vasilache
6 Romania DF Dean Beța
7 Curaçao FW Gevaro Nepomuceno
8 Algeria DF Mourad Satli
9 Netherlands FW Patrick N'Koyi
10 Burundi FW Mohamed Tchité
11 Slovenia MF Rok Kronaveter
12 Romania GK Alberto Cobrea
13 Uruguay MF Sebastián Gallegos
18 Romania FW George Mareș
20 Romania MF Alexandru Coman
No. Position Player
21 Romania MF Victoraș Astafei
23 Uruguay FW Rodrigo Pastorini
29 Romania FW Alexandru Radu
30 Romania MF Laurențiu Marinescu
33 Romania GK Mirel Bolboașă (on loan from Viitorul)
35 Romania DF Marian Marin
39 France DF Jean-Alain Fanchone
40 Romania DF Roberto Alecsandru
77 Romania DF Andrei Peteleu
86 Croatia DF Kristijan Ipša
91 Spain MF Pablo de Lucas (vice-captain)
93 Romania MF Alexandru Chiriță
95 Romania GK Iuliu Oprea
99 Israel FW Toto Tamuz

Transfers

Personnel

As of January 2015.[28]

Current technical staff

Role Name
Head coach Romania Mircea Rednic
Assistant coach Romania Valentin Sinescu
Goalkeeping coach Romania Cătălin Grigore
Team manager Romania Cristian Vlad
Fitness coach Romania Radu Vasilcan
Youth coach (Under 20s) Romania Bogdan Zahiu
Youth coach (Under 18s) Romania Cristian Iordache
Youth coach (Under 17s) Romania Claudiu Toader
Youth coach (Under 15s) Romania Iulian Cojocaru
Youth coach (Under 13s) Romania Marius Manolache
Warehouseman Romania Bebe Ionița
Warehouseman Romania Vlad Ionița
Team doctor Romania Claudiu Stamatescu
Masseur Romania Adrian Neacșu
Masseur Romania Adrian Dobre

Management

Role Name
President Romania Daniel Capră
CEO Romania Marius Bucuroiu
Chief executive Romania Alexandru Crângu
Director of marketing Romania Iuliano Ene
Secretary general Romania Valentin Mateescu
Economic department Romania Gabriel Toma
Communication with supporters Romania Octav Preda
Ticket office manager Romania Ionuț Dumitrache
Director of youth academy Romania Claudiu Toader
Press officer Romania Cristian Notaru
Safety officer Romania Florian Radu

European record

As of 29 August 2014.

The club have participated in 8 editions of the club competitions governed by UEFA, the chief authority for football across Europe, and 12 editions of European competitions overall.

Competition S P W D L GF GA GD
UEFA Champions League / European Cup 3 8 2 1 5 8 15 –7
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup / European Cup Winners' Cup 2 6 2 2 2 4 7 –3
UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup / Inter-Cities Fairs Cup[29] 6 27 16 2 9 39 31 +8
UEFA Intertoto Cup[30] 1 6 1 1 4 6 14 –8
Total 12 47 21 6 20 57 67 –10

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt partner
1924–1999 Unknown Unknown
1999–2001 Meding Sport Petrom
2001–2003 Adidas
2003–2004 Lotto
2005–2008
2008–2009 Unknown Petrom
2009–2010 Consiliul Local Ploiești
2010–2011 Hummel
2011–2012 Adidas
2012–2013 Macron Romprest
2013–2014 Puma Opel[5]
2014– Nike[8]

Managers

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Stadion" [Stadium]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian).
  2. ↑ "Istorie" [History]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Insolvența, un nou ȋnceput, nicidecum finalul!" [Insolvency, a new beginning, not the end!]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 7 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Ambitious Mutu back in Romania with Petrolul". UEFA. 14 January 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Parteneriat FC Petrolul - Opel" [FC Petrolul - Opel Partnership]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 15 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Am ratat dramatic finala Cupei României!" [We dramatically missed the Romanian Cup final!]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 16 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Scandal la Ploiești! Suporterii au întrerupt antrenamentul și a fost nevoie de intervenția jandarmilor" [Scandal in Ploiesti! The fans have stopped the training and the policemen intervened]. DigiSport (in Romanian). 17 April 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Petrolul va purta echipament Nike în sezonul viitor" [Petrolul will wear Nike kits next season]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian).
  9. ↑ "Opel rămâne sponsorul oficial al FC Petrolul" [Opel continues being FC Petrolul's official sponsor]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 27 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "Acibadem a devenit sponsorul medical al FC Petrolul" [Acıbadem became Petrolul's medical sponsor]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 3 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "U Cluj - Petrolul 1-0. N'Koyi, eliminat după un gest stupid" [U Cluj - Petrolul 1-0. N'Koyi, sent off because of a stupid gesture]. DigiSport (in Romanian). 20 July 2014.
  12. ↑ "Petrolul and Hajduk heroics stun Europe". UEFA. 7 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "Mutu a marcat un gol superb cu Viktoria Plzen! A 3-a reușită în ultimele 3 meciuri" [Mutu scored a wondergoal against Viktoria Plzeň! It is his third goal in the last three matches]. DigiSport (in Romanian). 7 August 2014.
  14. ↑ "Răzvan Lucescu nu mai este antrenorul Petrolului" [Răzvan Lucescu is not Petrolul's coach anymore]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 16 September 2014.
  15. ↑ "Bun venit, Gheorge Mulțescu!" [Welcome, Gheorghe Mulțescu!]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 17 September 2014.
  16. ↑ "FC Petrolul a reziliat contractul cu Adrian Mutu" [FC Petrolul broke Adrian Mutu's contract]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 26 September 2014.
  17. ↑ "Transferurile lui Mutu și Zicu, criticate de fostul antrenor al Petrolului: ”Au fost un eșec!”" [The signings of Mutu and Zicu, criticised by a former coach: "They were a failure!"]. DigiSport (in Romanian). 26 September 2014.
  18. ↑ "Finanțatorul Dan Capră și directorul general al Petrolului, Marius Bucuroiu, reținuți pentru 24 de ore!" [Petrolul's president Dan Capră and general director Marius Bucuroiu, arrested for 24 hours!]. DigiSport (in Romanian). 25 November 2014.
  19. ↑ "Colaps total la Ploieşti. Mandate de arestare pentru acţionarii clubului în dosarul de evaziune fiscală. Reţinerea finanţatorului Capră provoacă plecarea unor jucători importanţi" [Total collapse at Ploieşti. Warrants for the club's shareholders in the tax evasion case. The arrest of president Capră causes the departure of some important footballers]. ProSport (in Romanian). 26 November 2014.
  20. ↑ "Mircea Rednic a revenit pe banca Petrolului!" [Mircea Rednic returned to Petrolul!]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 10 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "Petrolul l-a achiziționat pe Mohamed Tchité" [Petrolul signed Mohamed Tchité]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 25 February 2015.
  22. ↑ "Tchite, debut cu gol la Petrolul: "Steaua e favorită acum, dar am avut două penalty-uri neacordate". Povestea spectaculoasă a jucătorului de 14,5 milioane de euro" [Tchité, goal at début for Petrolul: "Steaua has the first chance to qualify now, but we should have had 2 penalties." The story of the 14.5 million euro player]. ProSport (in Romanian). 5 March 2015.
  23. ↑ "Stadionul Ilie Oană din Ploieşti, cotat de UEFA la patru stele" [Ilie Oană from Ploieşti, ranked as a UEFA Category 4 stadium]. Adevărul (in Romanian). 10 May 2012.
  24. ↑ "Petrolul s-a întors acasă" [Petrolul is back at home]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 24 September 2011.
  25. ↑ "Petrolul-Rapid, un derby pe stil vechi" [Petrolul-Rapid, a classic derby]. evz.ro (in Romanian). 16 August 2014.
  26. ↑ "Fanii Petrolului jigniţi dur de Ioan Niculae! Patronul Astrei se ia şi de clubul din Ploieşti: "Nu are nici un palmares"" [Petrolul's fans, insulted by Ioan Niculae! He also talks about the club from Ploiești]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 16 April 2014.
  27. ↑ "Echipă" [Squad]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). 31 October 2014.
  28. ↑ "Staff" [Staff]. FC Petrolul Ploiești (in Romanian). October 2014.
  29. ↑ There is a controversy concerning the value of Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. While it is viewed as the predecessor to the UEFA Cup, it was not organised by UEFA. Consequently, UEFA do not recognise the competition as a major honour. Petrolul have participated in 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup editions, which are included in these statistics and final statistics.
  30. ↑ The Intertoto Cup was founded in 1961–62, but was only taken over by UEFA in 1995. Petrolul have participated in the 1990 edition. The results are included in the total statistics.

External links