Dragoș Firțulescu, 36, gave an exclusive interview to Gazeta Sporturilor. The former midfielder from Craiova is a coach at Inter Ruse, and during this period he returned to the country for a junior tournament, which takes place at the FCSB training base.
In an interview given to Gazeta Sporturilor readers, Dragoș Firțulescu recalled moments from his tumultuous career, analyzed the title chances of SuperLiga teams and talked about Ionuț Luțu, his childhood idol.
Dragoș also discussed his coaching career, which is just at the beginning. He explained how difficult it is to work with children, but also with their parents.
Video. Dragoș Furțulescu: “The life of a coach is totally different. As a footballer you think about yourself, now I have 100 children”
– Hello, Dragos! I'm glad you agreed to a chat with us. how are you
– Hello, I'm glad you came, we're preparing for football, because we don't know what else to do and, if it's within our reach, we decided to come, for the children.
– How is life as a coach?
– Coaching life is totally different. As a footballer you think about yourself, now I have 100 children, I think about them plus 200 parents, not to mention the grandparents.
– Which is more difficult, the children or the parents?
– Certainly the parents, they don't know the training methods and there are some parents who, if the child has talent at 10 years old, the child is already a footballer, but the road is very long and they should understand this.
– Out of almost 100 children, I think that some are talented or very hardworking, do you think that when they grow up they could make the step to League 1?
– Well you specified hardworking and talented, that's the perfect recipe to make the step into professional football. Thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo who blew the minds of all athletes, they need to understand that it takes a lot of work and talent is not enough.
– What are the differences between youth football in Romania and in Bulgaria?
– The differences are not big, I categorize that we are all Balkan, and the values are close. I strongly believe that there are many talented children who are lost. I also had the opportunity to play football at the professional level, and through the mistakes I made in my career I can help children.
– Have you told the children some stories from your career?
– I told them, but they have to be careful, because there are some things that are not good examples, but you have to go through everything to be able to learn.
Dragoș Firțulescu, on the left / Photo source: GSP Archive
– You were considered the “Pearl of Oltenia”, what do you think happened in your career if you didn't take the step to a much stronger team?
– Mmmm, “Pearl of Craiova”. Many kids were talented, not only me, many had brighter futures, but I don't regret anything because that's how my career was. I am very satisfied, I have a beautiful family, a beautiful little girl and if my path wasn't this way I wouldn't have them today. Then it was a more hectic period, there were those arguments with the other people, we were a talented group and we could make the step to the seniors. The club also helped us to take that step. It helped us that many of us were in the national team, but I think when the team split it was an impact and everyone went where they thought was best, but I have no regrets and I have reached 36 years old where I am satisfied with the life I have.
– Who was the best footballer you played with in your career?
– Everyone knows that the idol of my childhood was Ionuț Luțu. I keep in touch even today, I even talked to him the other day, I hope he arrives too, he was in Athens and I want him to arrive by Sunday, because I want to see him. I got to play with him for six months at the end of his career and it's a very important thing for me.
Dragoș Firțulescu about Ionuț Luțu: “He is a loyal, hard-working guy and that helped him to be with FCSB”
– What is Ionuț Luțu doing now? I think he has some emotions with the situation at FCSB.
– We didn't get to talk about it, he's probably very connected and I'm glad he got a job where he's safe. He is a loyal, hardworking guy and that helped him to be around FCSB.
– Do you think he could go much higher?
– It was a sensational talent, I also caught Hagi and Mutu, who are my idols, I got to play with them and what he did on the field I have not seen anywhere. I haven't seen his technique anywhere and I haven't seen a footballer with that. He also had more difficult moments, but if he transferred to Galatasaray, you realize what he was like at that time.
– How do you see the SuperLiga at the moment? Many teams are fighting for the play-offs and the first places.
– I'm the kind of person who thrives on competition and I think it's a very good thing because everyone strives to be better. This is beneficial because you're pedaling to maintain yourself when someone blows behind you.
Dragoș Firțulescu: “The University of Craiova has a chance to win the championship”
Dragoș Firțulescu and John Gregory, together again
– Who do you bet on in the title fight?
– If FCSB enters the play-offs, I think they have a chance to win the championship, but I went to a few matches in Craiova and I liked how the team is. They are a good team and I think they have a good chance of winning the championship.
– Do you think this story with the track record will drag him back?
– I don't know anything about what's happening on the legal issue, everyone asks me where I played, I played at FCU, I can't say that I was at CSU, it's a shame that they don't get along, because the team is good at the moment, it has beautiful supporters, the most beautiful, because that's where I grew up, and it's a shame that they don't unite and form a stronger group.
– What do you say about Adrian Mititelu's team, do they have a chance to return to football, because now they are not in any championship?
– I don't know anything about them, I would be happy if they come back, I am still in touch with Florin Costea and he doesn't really know either. Adrian Mititelu is a guy who doesn't give up, I hope he manages to do something and unite all the supporters, because Craiova is suffering through this conflict of the mayor's office and I hope that in the future it will be the University of Craiova and there will be no more doubts.
Dragoș Firțulescu: “Chivu took an extraordinary step, all of Romania should be proud and stop being critical”
– You are at Inter Ruse, but we also have a Romanian at Inter Milan. How do you see what Cristi Chivu has achieved?
– I always follow what is written about our Romanians who are abroad. Chivu took an extraordinary step, all of Romania should be proud and stop being critical. Only Mircea Lucescu got there, it's an extraordinary performance. He seems like an extraordinary leader and an intelligent person by the way he presents himself, I am very fascinated by the way he works and gets results. For nothing you have strong players if you can't keep the dressing room as a coach. Everyone has minutes there.
Dragoș Firțulescu, at Malappuram FC training / Photo source: Facebook
– Is Cristi Chivu an example for you?
– Yes, of course it is an example when you see that you have to be patient to take it from small to large, to be patient to learn things. I, aside from being a big Inter fan, but especially since Chivu is there watching, I wait an hour before the match starts to watch the teams. I think that the Romanians should leave the criticism.
– For Romania, it is a very important match, the one against Turkey at the barrage, and I am curious what you say about this match.
– Why wouldn't we have a chance, it's not the first time a lower ranked team could beat a higher ranked team. Turkey has high-level players, but we also have footballers who play in Spain or Italy. And I think it's our chance, the important thing is to believe and do your best and from there only God knows.
– Is there any Romanian footballer who could decide the duel?
– There are many Romanians who can make a difference, I mean Ianis Hagi, Mihăilă, Răzvan Marin, there are many, Tănase from FCSB, now you can't even list them because there are so many. Now, thanks to Rațiu, I follow Rayo, it is something beneficial for us and we should be proud.
– What is the most beautiful moment in your football career?
– The most beautiful moment is when I put on the Craiova jersey, I remember that on Ion Oblemenco, before the match, we went out to see the lawn and the stadium was full and we could hear “Science, Science”. I entered the tunnel and my heart started beating faster. I also had nice moments when Romania played Bosnia and Mutu gave me the apron. Yesterday we met at Progresul Spartac, very beautiful moments that you understand along the way.
Dragoș Firțulescu // photo: Răzvan Petrescu
