Ștefan Iovan (65 years old) speaks openly about Stella's current difficulties, the desire to obtain the right to promotion and the nostalgia of the full stands in Ghencea, emphasizing that the club's identity and history can restore performance, if “justice will be done once and for all”.
Steaua is stuck in League 2. Regardless of the position it will occupy at the start of the current season, the group prepared by Daniel Oprița will not have the right to promotion in the first echelon.
Present at the event in which Steaua associates with Cristiano Ronaldo's water brand, Ștefan Iovan calls for urgent measures.
Ștefan Iovan: “I hope that justice will be done”
– Mr. Iovan, will those from Steaua run like Cristiano Ronaldo?
– We are going too far at this moment. We suffer, so to speak, from the point of view of performance and the level that Steaua has. We can't compare and talk about Cristiano at the moment. We also had a player with spirit… You know who I mean, right? Locksmith! But those were different times then. Now I really want us to have the right to promotion and to enjoy football again here, in Ghencea.
– We have been waiting for this promotion for years and years…
– I don't know! We've been talking for two, three, even six years! I don't know and I'm not in a position to give these answers, because they are quite dense and, as I say, difficult to solve.
– Do you still feel nostalgic when you come to this stadium?
– I still hope that justice will be done once and for all! Don't ask me why I talk about justice. And I repeated it countless times.
“That's what I was used to, with the stadium full and the people moving on the streets!”
– That's right.
– When I come to Ghencea, when we come here, it seems like this, a sadness, because this stadium must be full. When Saturday and Sunday come, the whole Ghencea neighborhood must be present. Let everyone move in the streets, the stadium full. That's what I was used to in the 80s, until 1992. The stadium was always full, the atmosphere, the people. It's not what it used to be. It's a shame, because it's a big name team and it deserves a lot of effort from everyone, starting at the top! I am also thinking about those who lead Romania.
– Talk about emulation. What would a good year look like for Steaua?
– First of all, to take steps to have the right to promotion and the rest will come naturally. I'm sure that, given the name, the history and what the Star stands for, sponsors will come in a year or two.
– The European Champions Cup is on display here. What memories still haunt you today?
– I am proud to be next to the Champions Cup, which I won with hard work. There are events, thank God, quite often, to remind ourselves of our performances.
– Rival Dinamo demolished its stadium.
– There was a rivalry between us and Dinamo, and this rivalry led to performances. You realize that we can't have a competition by ourselves, and Dinamo with Craiova, even Hunedoara, even Pitestiul… Let those of today be upset, but the competition was stronger, because otherwise we wouldn't have succeeded!
– What can you tell us about the dam with Turkey?
– Nea Mircea has enormous experience, she knows Turkish football very well, because she coached there successfully. I rely on him having the necessary experience. I wish from the bottom of my heart that we qualify, because that's the pleasure: to live with this spirit that Romania is up there. If we succeed, the level of Romanian football will rise with a rather great result, as we did.
The up-to-date ranking from League 2. CSA Steaua does not have promotion rights
