“We have another player like him at Steaua!”

George Ogăraru, the sports manager of the Academy at CSA Steaua, remembers that “he came to us at around 13 years old, from Dinamo, brought by Cătălin Danilescu, who saw him in several matches and sensed his potential”.

George Ogăraru: “David Matei had support, he was promoted on time”

The coordinator of the club's nursery in Ghencea recalls that “David was part of an exceptional generation from us. That U17 team ended up playing all the finals, in the Elite championship, in the Cup, the Supercup. They were exceptional players alongside David.

They were Răzvan Florea, Matei Marin, Shehait Hussein, Mario Brumă. Among them, only David Matei was promoted to the first team of Stella, at 16 years old. We insisted, because we knew what kind of boy he was, determined, who never set small goals for himself. And it turned out that the presence in the big team helped him enormously.

And now, in a single year after leaving Steaua, Craiova achieved so much, the title, the Cup and the big national team. That's how fast things happen in football, with exceptional players.

That means seeing a player's potential, that's important, promoting him with courage, at 16, even if he might not have been physically ready to play with the seniors. After all, at this age how many are at the physical level of adults? Extremely few.

But if you see that it is technically and emotionally ready, use it! With you in the team for the first time, the fact that he grew up there means a lot to him too. Don't think of borrowing it, that he is good anyway and will play anywhere.

Perhaps few know that the average European age for promotion to the big teams has dropped to 16 years. And we have examples in world football, that 16-17-year-old players play in extremely strong championships or even the national teams.

This is how we must proceed. David is a happy exception, but from that generation at Steaua, others could have reached much higher, if they had been promoted to the big team since then!”.

Those mentioned by Ogăraru continue to play after leaving Steaua, but at a different level.

Matei Marin arrived at Dinamo, who loaned him to ASA Tg. Mures. Shehait Hussein went to his native country, in Iraq, to ​​Al-Karma, and the goal scorer Răzvan Florea is to Voința Crevedia, in the 3rd league, and Mario Brumă is to Chindia.

“We still have a future David Matei: Stefan Rotaru”

Ștefan Rotaru, in a duel with Matei // Photo: Instagram

Referring to the last one, George Ogăraru said that “at that time, when they were playing in the U17 team, Florea was even better rated than Matei, because he had been a goal scorer for many years. It's just that he wasn't given the chance to play in the first team. Maybe his path would have been different. Special players, especially those who have goal in their blood, like Florea, really need to be promoted from the earliest possible age”.

The former international added that “now, at Steaua we have another player following in the footsteps of David Matei. He is also a midfielder, his name is Ștefan Rotaru. He also made his first-team debut at 16, and was now a regular in the second division play-off. He is international, but, unfortunately, he also does not have a contract with Steaua, as was the case with many players.

I don't know how the club sold David to Craiova for only 70,000 euros. I deal with the Academy, not transfers. But I understood that a percentage of 20% was still kept from a future transfer.

In the end, the important thing is that a bridge is created, David Matei – Ștefan Rotaru. And that we must understand that age should no longer be seen as a deficit, but as an asset. Because, in David's case, this is not his full potential. He is capable of much more”.

• Stefan Rotaru he is a product of the Steaua Academy and he turned 17 years old. He caught 12 games this season in the “military” jersey. Unlike David Matei, who is an offensive midfielder, Ștefan Rotaru plays as a central defensive midfielder. He is an U17 international and is valued at €75,000 by Transfermarkt.