“I would have liked to come back as a player too!”

Adrian Ropotan, former midfielder at Dinamo for 5 years, returned to the red and white club after 16 years. He was installed as coach of the U19 team after other such experiences at Dunărea Călărași, respectively at the Udinese Academy in Romania. In both situations he trained alongside Marius Alexe, his former teammate from Dinamo.

Today, in the Gazeta studio, Ropotan revealed his regret, the fact that he was not able to return to Dinamo as a footballer. Afterwards, he explained what his goals will be as a coach for the U19 team of the “red dogs”.

Adrian Ropotan, installed on the Dinamo U19 bench: “I would also like to come back as a footballer”

“They say I'm back home after a very long time. 16 years, yes. All nothingness (no – laughs). I would have liked to have this comeback as a footballer, first and foremost. I wanted to come back, I had this opportunity during a break, when I left Dinamo Moscow.

There was a small door when Mr. Țalnar was the coach, but I received an offer also from Russia and I preferred to stay there. Then after I left Azerbaijan I would have wanted to go back, but I probably wasn't on the same wavelength. It didn't materialize, they probably had other options.

I go on the road with great thoughts. It is a very big step for me, first of all because I can be part of the Dinamo family and share my football knowledge with the children. We hope to promote, bring up the talented kids, try to get them to the level needed to develop into the first team. But they still have a crossing point, the second team.

These would be the objectives. I want to develop, to grow. I think I have some experience, also going through the third league. In children, they already know what the competition is with.

It is a starting point. You have to take the steps gradually. That's natural, you don't have to rush. The discussions have been going on for some time, not yesterday. Now they have materializedwe hope to do a good job”, said Ropotan in the first phase.

“There are infrastructure issues, yes”

Regarding what awaits him at Dinamo, Ropotan admits that the red-and-white Academy is not at the best level in terms of infrastructure:

“From the organizational point of view, from the financial aspects, things are going well.

Indeed, there are infrastructure problems, regarding training grounds, changing rooms and others. I hope that in the near future these problems will be solved, because Dinamo identifies with performance. Dinamo is not allowed to encounter such problems. We see what will change”.

Adrian Ropotan: “I was thinking that I don't want to hear about football anymore!”

The former midfielder revealed he had no intention of taking the coaching route when he hung up his boots. Over time, the idea of ​​a coaching job began to smile at him.

“I didn't think for a very long time that I wanted to become a coach. After I finished my career as a football player, I said that I didn't want to hear about football anymore. If you believe me, I didn't even go to play anymore. My former colleagues called me to play football and I said that I don't want to anymore.

Then I had a feeling that I should stay in this area. I am in a position to do something else, but I want to give back as a coach the soul satisfaction that my football career has generated.

But I didn't start training to train in Romania. My aspirations are much higher”, said Ropotan.