The man who polished the geniuses » At 90 years old, Tănase Dima is the guest of Ioanițoaia at “Friends of Ovidiu”
Article by David Marinescu – Published Tuesday, April 14, 2026 9:30 p.m. / Updated Tuesday, April 14, 2026 9:40 p.m.
The only coach who trained Nicolae Dobrin and Gică Hagi, Tănase Dima (90 years old), is this week's guest from “Ovidiu's Friends”. Wednesday, April 15, from 4:00 p.m.
Born on January 12, 1936, south of the Danube, in Kalipetrovo (Bulgaria), in a family of Aromanians, Tănase Dima grew up in Curtea de Argeș, the locality where he still lives. An hour of stories and memories from Pitesti and Student Sport with the most important players Romanian football has had.
He had the chance to work with Nicolae Dobrin since juniors, then, years later, at Sportul, he trained another great “heavy”, Gică Hagi. He is, moreover, the only technician who trained both the “Prince of Trivale” and the “King” in club teams. He also did it to Iena, but Imi “had” Hagi only at the national team.
- was born on January 12, 1936, in Kalipetrovo (Bulgaria)
- between 1952 and 1961, he was registered at the Curtea de Argeș Red Flag
- in '61-'62, he was Ştefan Vasile's assistant at FC Argeş; in that season, Dobrin debuted in L1
- also as an assistant at FC Argeș (1970-1978) he collaborated with Titus Ozon, with Florin Halagian (with whom he won the first title for FC Argeș, in '72) and with Ştefan Coidum
- he was on the bench for the Pitesti players at the famous FC Argeş – Real Madrid 2-1, from October '72
- at Dinamo ('78-'81), he worked with Ion Nunweiller, Angelo Niculescu and Valentin Stănescu
- in '81-'82, he worked at Chimia Rm. Vâlcea, including as “principal”
- at Sportul ('84-'87), as Constantin Ardeleanu's assistant, he contributed to obtaining the best results of the “students” in L1: 3rd place in '85 and 2nd place in '86
- sat on the bench at Sportul – Inter Milan 1-0, in September '84
- in '86-'87, he was also the “principal” of the Regie band
- at Flacăra Moreni ('87-'88), he worked as an assistant to Ion Nunweiller
- in '88-'89, he returns to Trivale as Dumitru Nicolae Nicușor
- at FC Olt (1989-1990), “main” in the championship round; after December '89, the team from Scornicesti is disbanded
- activated in several mandates in the national youth and Olympic teams
- since 1996, he is the founder, coach and president of Sporting Pitesti, a private club that launched, among others, Raț, Maftei, Sepsi or Chipciu
