Teams --> Vaslui

FC Vaslui is a professional football club from Vaslui, Romania. The club was founded in 2002 and plays in Liga I. The club's best league finish were in the 2009–10 and in 2010–11 season, when they managed to end up 3rd. Since its foundation, FC Vaslui finish each season, in a higher rank than the previous. The club traditionally plays in green-yellow shirts.

History

On 20 July 2002, the newly promoted Divizia C side Victoria Galaţi moved to Vaslui, after an agreement between Marius Stan and the Vaslui Municipality to use the Municipal Stadium. The team manager was appointed Ioan Sdrobiş, and the main squad was formed by the Dunărea Galaţi players. The club also changed its name to Fotbal Club Municipal Vaslui or shortly FC Vaslui. The main objective was to achieve the promotion in Divizia B. Soon after, Adrian Porumboiu took over the club, and the first change was instant: from white-blue, the team colours were changed to yellow-green, the same as the new owner’s company. At the end of the season, despite the primary objective was completed, Marius Stan, the club president, resigned and Adrian Porumboiu, the club owner decided to stop sponsoring the team, because of the Vaslui Municipality’s lack of interest for the team. With a whole new management team, the objective for the newly promoted Divizia B team was to avoid the relegation. With a stunning start to the season, and with Adrian Porumboiu returned at the club, the objective was changed from avoiding relegation, to promotion in Divizia A. However, the club managed to promote only next season, setting a new record, being the fastest club playing in Divizia A, after only three years since its foundation.

With his club in Divizia A, Adrian Porumboiu set an impressive budget for a newly promoted team in the top flight. However, despite signing Răducanu, S. Ilie, Falemi or Cursaru, FC Vaslui set a negative record in its first participation in the top flight: not a single victory at the end of the season’s first part. In the winter break, Rednic changed SC Vaslui's transfer policy. At the end of the season, SC Vaslui was recognized as one of the best teams from the second part of the season. However, a bizarre event happened in the 30th round, when SC Vaslui faced Steaua Bucuresti. To secure the championship, Steaua was forced to win at Vaslui. Steaua won by four goals, and won the championship, but the easy win was highly contested by Rapid’s officials, but also by Adrian Porumboiu, who decided the next day to retire from SC Vaslui’s ownership. With no sponsorship, and with no squad, the media press speculated that Vaslui will sell its Divizia A spot. However, the club president denied those rumours.

With a completely different team from last season, SC Vaslui had the same poor season start as the previous. However, despite this, SC Vaslui finished 8th at the end of the season, the best club’s performance at the time. The person who contributed the most to the team’s revival, was the team manager Viorel Hizo, who has been appointed on 24 September after Mulţescu’s sack. However, despite his solid performances, Hizo decided to resign at the end of the season, because of SC Vaslui’s poor infrastructure. In that moment, Adrian Porumboiu, who meanwhile returned at the club, decided to invest the club’s budget in the infrastructure, instead of new players.

After Dorinel Munteanu was revealed as the new team manager, the main objective was set: an European Cup. The season was one with ups and downs for the Moldavian team, SC Vaslui securing the final spot for an European Cup, thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Vaslui contested the use of two Oţelul Galaţi players, who received a red card each one, in the previous matchday. CAS awarded Vaslui three points, and SC Vaslui finished 7th, ahead of Oţelul.

With his team in the Intertoto Cup, Adrian Porumboiu invested an important amount of money for new players. Viorel Hizo has also been reinstated as the team manager. After surpassing Neftchi Baku, SC Vaslui qualified for the UEFA Cup, but ultimately failed to qualify into the Group Stages, after they were sent off by Slavia Prague because of the away goal. The championship was one with ups and downs for the team, Vaslui staying on the 9th place almost the entire season. However, after a win against Universitatea Craiova in the final round, and thanks to the other results, SC Vaslui finished 5th, and secured a spot for Europa League, for the second year in a row. The team also reached the Romanian Cup semi-finals, where they were sent off by CFR Cluj, after major referee errors.

In its second season in the European competitions, despite winning in the first leg, SC Vaslui failed to qualify in the Europa League Group Stages for the second time, after they lost by three goals against AEK Athens. However, despite its unsuccessful European season, Vaslui had an stunning intern one, after they finished 3rd in the championship, and reached the Romanian Cup final.

Because SC Vaslui failed to qualify in the European Group Stages, in the past years, Adrian Porumboiu signed Spanish manager Juan López Caro. The decision, was considered uninspired, because he not only failed to qualify SC Vaslui in the Group Stages, but he also won only three matches in the first ten rounds, and the team also was sent off from the Romanian Cup, by Liga III side Alro Slatina. Because Caro had $1,000,000 release clause, Adrian Porumboiu decided to suspend the Spanish manager, and reinstate Viorel Hizo, for the third time as the team manager. Hizo not only managed to revive the team, but he turned it into a real title contender. Meanwhile, on 4 January 2011, SC Vaslui received a nine-months transfer ban from FIFA, following a complaint by its former player, Ljubinkovic. Despite Porumboiu appealed at CAS, the decision stayed still, and it is set to expire on 6 September 2011. At the end of the season, despite they made no transfer in the winter break, SC Vaslui finished 3rd for the second year in a row.

After Romanian Football Federation denied the licence to FC Timişoara, and therefore not allowed to participate in the European competitions, SC Vaslui took its place in the Champions League's Third qualifying round. However, SC Vaslui was eliminated from the competition, and sent in the Europa League Play-Off. Vaslui faced Sparta Prague with major squad problems. No less than nine players, were unable to play: Kuciak and Pouga refused to return to the team; Papp, Canu, Adailton, Wesley and Gladstone were injured; Milisavljevic and Pavlovic were excluded from the squad. Despite this, SC Vaslui accomplished its most important victory from its history, a 2-0 home win against Sparta Praga. Despite they lost in the second leg, SC Vaslui managed to qualify for the first time in the UEFA Europa League Group Stages.

Honours

Liga I:

Liga II:

Liga III:

Romanian Cup:

UEFA Intertoto Cup:

European Cups History

Including 2011–12 season

Stadium

The Municipal Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Vaslui, Romania. It was opened in 1972, and it is owned by The Vaslui municipality. In 2002, when Victoria Galaţi (former name) moved in Vaslui, they reached an agreement with the Vaslui municipality, and since then, they hosts their home games, on this ground. The stadium has 11,220 seats, and it is covered by natural grass. Municipal also has official stand, covered cabins for the guests and the press, installation of drainage and installation of automatic irrigation turf, internet access for the media, and a new club headquarters built. The floodlighting system, with a density of 2000 lux, has been inaugurated in 2008, this stadium being the 11th in Romania, with a floodlighting system. It is also 2 stars rated by UEFA.

Captains

The first FC Vaslui captain was Cătălin Popa, who previously captained the other Vaslui team, Sportul Municipal Vaslui. After his departure, Sorin Frunză took over the captaincy. While he was either injured, either loaned, the vice-captains were: Ionuţ Badea, Marius Croitoru or Bogdan Buhuş. After his departure, Buhuş was appointed captain, but only for a short period, because when Viorel Moldovan became manager, he offered the captaincy to Gabriel Cânu. With the start of the new season, Buhuş was made once again captain, until his departure. Starting 2010/12 season, Cânu has been reinstated as Vaslui captain. When he was injured, Wesley was the vice-captain.

Statistics and records

SC Vaslui's first competitive game was an 3–1 victory in the Divizia C against Viitorul Hârlău. Bogdan Buhuş holds SC Vaslui's overall appearance record—he played 144 matches over the course of 5 seasons from 2005 until 2010, and he also holds the record for League appearances with 125.

SC Vaslui's all-time leading scorer is Valentin Badea, who scored 43 goals while at the club from 2002 to 2006. Frunză holds the record for the most goals in a season with 18 in 2002–03. The most goals scored by a player in a single match is four; Valentin Badea achieving this feat. Cătălin Andruş holds the club record for the fastest hat trick: he scored three goals in five minutes against CFR Paşcani in the 2002–03 season. Mike Temwanjera is FC Vaslui's all-time leading goalscorer in European competition with 4 goals.

SC Vaslui's biggest victory is 9–0 against Ceahlăul Piatra Neamţ II in 2003. SC Vaslui's heaviest defeat, 2–5, came against UTA Arad in 2006. SC Vaslui's 3–1 win against FK Liepājas Metalurgs in the UEFA Cup was the largest victory in Europe competition for the club.

Current squad

As of July 2011

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Manager

Viorel Hizo signed on 7 October a new contract with SC Vaslui, after Lopez Caro`s suspension. He managed to finish 3rd in Liga I, and he qualified for the first time SC Vaslui in the Group Stages of UEFA Europa League. Viorel Hizo is for the third time SC Vaslui's manager.

References

External links

Wikipedia