Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Saturday, October 25, 2025, 5:55 p.m. / Updated Saturday, October 25, 2025, 5:59 p.m.
Former Romanian international Ilie Dumitrescu (56 years old) analyzed what happened on Thursday evening in Craiova, when Mirel Rădoi (44 years old) decided not to appoint Ștefan Baiaram (22 years old) in the match with FC Noah, from the second stage of the single group of the Conference League, and the football player from Olten reacted nervously, not being at all satisfied with this decision and subsequently excluded from the team for that game.
Ilie Dumitrescu is of the opinion that Baiaram was wrong, having that nervous reaction and that regardless of whether or not he agrees with Rădoi's decisions, he must respect them. He believes that now the offensive player of the white-blues should appear in front of his colleagues and the staff to apologize.
What's more, Dumitrescu claims that in Craiova, considering Rădoi's temperament, it would be useful to have a person in the club who would talk to the players and prepare them, so that similar episodes of anger do not occur in the future.
Ilie Dumitrescu, clear position in the Rădoi – Baiaram duel
“Baiaram was wrong. It seems that the team was announced, the meeting was not held at the hotel or in the camp, but at the training base. He announced to the team in the locker room, this is what he did at the national team, to keep everyone focused.
When the starting formula is announced and you have an exit like that… He was heard saying in front of the team. You, as a player, have no chance. He came out of the locker room, Rădoi had an immediate reaction, he said you are not even in the 11 group anymore, go and sit in the stands.
Baiaram made a mistake here, it's the coach's decision. He has the responsibility, the coach. You have to have a professional education to do that, someone in the club has to deal with these situations with an important player. He was one of the fittest players, he with Nsimba and Cicâldău.
Someone needs to pick him up and talk to him. When a coach with Rădoi's personality comes, someone from the club must prepare the players, tell them who Rădoi is, what he likes. You have to enter this discipline, this regulation.
This is where he was wrong. Now he has to apologize to the collective, the group. If you put him in a situation like this, you, as a coach, must also understand that you need such a player”, said Ilie Dumitrescu, quoted by digisport.ro.
Baiaram, when he found out that he was not in the first 11, in addition to swearing a lot, hit the door of the dressing room with his fist. That's when Mirel came out of the coach's dressing room and asked the team manager to remove him from the team so that he could quietly prepare the match for over an hour.
There is no Mirel Rădoi Baiaram case in my view. It can be passed over. There are things that happen. There are coaches who make decisions and players who accept them or not. No player is happy when he is not in the first 11. He is an extremely young player. It is in the selection area of the big clubs.
– Mihai Rotaru, patron of the University of Craiova
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