Daniel Niculae to start for Romania, more Mutu vs. FIFA
Saturday, 07 June 08, 11:46 PM · Comments(4)
This just gets better and better for me! Not only do we play one of the best teams in the world on Monday, but Daniel Niculae is starting as the striker for Romania! Most people reading this won't know anything about Daniel Niculae, and that's probably expected. But he's my personal hero (Hence the Nico21 in my username EVERYWHERE), a Rapid Bucuresti legend, a top guy, and a hard working footballer. He's most known outside Romania for his goal against Hamburg in the UEFA Cup 2005-2006 season.
Anyways, I am excited as hell about this. I've always said that he's the best option in the attack for Romania. He's fast, he has a good shot, he has good foot skills. He performs when you need him to, and he inspires those around him. His style is a bit unorthodox so he never looks like the best choice to start to most people, and to the manager as well. He's in form now after scoring 11 goals for Auxerre this season in Ligue 1. Victor Piturca has been using Niculae in the last 3 days in the starters squad in training. The goal is to let someone play who can take advantage of the slow French center defence, that is both footed, and who knows the French.
Anyways, this is the team Romania will start with for the France game:
GK: Bogdan Lobont (Dinamo Bucuresti)
RB: Cosmin Contra (Getafe)
CB: Gabi Tamas (Auxerre)
CB: Dorin Goian (Steaua)
LB: Razvan Rat (Shakhtar)
LDM: Cristian Chivu (Inter Milan)
RDM: Mirel Radoi (Steaua)
CAM: Razvan Cocis (Lokomotiv Moscow)
LAM: Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina)
RAM: Banel Nicolita (Steaua)
CF: Daniel Niculae (Auxerre)
We have a good blend of experience with younger players, and I like the looks of the team, especially for the France game. I would switch some things up for the Holland game due to their speed on the left flank.
I wrote yesterday about what FIFA want to do to Mutu in the Chelsea vs. Mutu case. The Romanian Football Federation have come out saying that they will give him 100% support and put their weight on his side in this case. They'll help him with lawyers, costs, and leverge and influence.
It was also reported that the worth of mutu is around 12 million euros. In other words, all his endorsements, savings, and salaries are equaled to about 12 million euros - the sum Chelsea and FIFA want him to PAY them. It's quite ridiculous and overboard. He'll have to transfer to come out of this ordeal with some money for a decade of playing top flight football at top teams.
Not only does all of this come at a bad time, but yesterday Adi Mutu found out that his grandmother passed away - my condoloances Adi. People in the team have spoken up and said that this is the first time they've seen Mutu affected emotionally. I hope it motivates him to do something great on Monday and doesn't get to him. But he knows 23 million people are with him, and that's what counts.
By the way, my prediction still stands at Romania 2-1 France. The France game is starting to look like the toughest game for us in the group as the other teams are slowly breaking. Robben is now out for Holland, who's next? Hopefully they beat eachother up in training some more. Bad Boy Cassano has been causing problems in the Italy squad as well - hopefully he continues.
That's it for now, I'll let you know as soon as other developments occur dealing with Romania and Group C.
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Man..I am roumanian and of course i will support Romania.But I doubt it we can qualify.Is the death group and if we have a change,that's with Italy. Anyway,D.Niculae is not that good.Marica and M.Niculae are way better.I hope Marica starts though because he scored many important goals.For example against Spain.let's hope we win...GO ROMANIA!!!
Well here's the difference between us and France. We're willing to play the players in best form, not the names. Last two friendlies, Nico has had 2 assists and one goal. Marica one goal against Muntenegro. I'd take Nico over him any day anyways. Marius Niculae is not who he used to be either. Sure he's on some form, but Nico scored more goals in Ligue 1 than Marius Niculae scored for Iverness in the scottish league. So, it's pretty simple to me, and Piturca agrees. I would personally prefer the attacking trident Mutu-Marica-Daniel Niculae.. but Piturca wants Petre or Nicolita on the right side, so it is what it is.
4 Comments · Add yours
ahahaha! I am LOVING the Romanian excitement coming from here..! Seriously refreshing to see someone so excited about this..! I'll try my best to catch the game just so we can have some good discussions here. Incidentally my prediction, is 1-0 to Romania and I would LOVE to see italy and france left behind for ONCE!
Good luck!
:) Thanks a lot man. I'll have lots of Romania news all throughout EURO hah, even if we get eliminated. But the reason why i'm excited is because we're not a team like Greece who plays ultra defensive football and boring football. If we win EURO, we win it by playing an open game and with exciting football - and that's one of the reason why we haven't qualified for other tournaments. We try too hard to play well and we're too stubborn to just defend and win that way. Plus as evidenced by Steaua in UEFA CUP vs Boro, Romanians can't defend all game. We WERE imperialized by the Romans, but we don't have that Italian defense in mind hah.