Former coach Florin Marin, passed as a footballer at Rapid (1972-1976) and on Steaua (1976-1984), died on Thursday, at the age of 72, and left behind beautiful memories of the teams he has prepared.
Florin Marin, left, and his “son”, Gelu Crăcană photo Facebook Gelu Crăcană
If among the supporters he passed as a character without charisma, moroccan, and for the press he was even an insufferable character, being criticized for the countertops in the cooperative that tricked the results in Romanian football, for the close ones, Florin Marin, buried yesterday at the Roman Catholic Church, was a guardian angel. There are testimonies that show that he took care of the collaborators like the eyes of the head.
Gelu Crăcană (70 years old), former shop at Ceahlăul Piatra-Neamț, is one that strongly regrets the disappearance of the nickname “Flocea”. He was so related to the technician that he passed his name in the heading “Father” in “Bullet”, which he had blank. Basically, he was “set up” by the coach, without him offering his agreement.
It was a symbolic gesture from the German, a way to present its gratitude, which does not attract legal effects. In fact, the biological child of “Flocea”, Dorian Marin, played a football period in Ceahlăul, without standing out.
“For me, it was like a father”
“The man Flocea held the collaborators from Ceahlăul. He was paying us with dollars to work on the team. He argued, but he paid us from his money. He had a habit … even if you were doing a good job (as a shop), he was arguing and he said you could do more for the players.
For those in the club, the management, you were equal to zero, but for him you were ok. You awarded you with dollars, that meant you were appreciated, at least. Many times, I gave in nervous, how much work it was, but he suddenly appeared: “Leave, Father, I consider you mine, I appreciate your work.” He took us in the cantonments, either in the country or in Hungary, against the decision of Gheorghe Stefan (the owner of the club): “Leave, father, I pay their stay. I need them, they are mine,” I worked with them, “he told Pinalti.
Due to the way he behaved with me, I came up with the idea to pass him on the bulletin, like a father. I don’t have that document anymore, but there are enough that they saw. That year, 1996, when he came to Ceahlăul, thanks to him I bought the car from Pinalti. At that time, I gave Dacie the sum of 1,000 lei. When I lifted the carpet from the pedals it was all drilled in the floor, but that’s another story. For me, Flocea was like a father. I lived without a father, until I did not pronounce this word, given that I was a flower child”.
Crăcană tells an episode of the collaboration with the former coach: “I bet with him that if he comes at midnight, he finds me at the club drying the equipment for the next day. He kept his word and in one day checked me. He knocked on the door and opened them. He told me: “Bravo, father, take from here $ 200, you are mine.” This is how he behaved with those who helped him ”, recalls a Christmas for the “truth”.
Learned football on Moti
In addition to the grieving family of the former coach, the former students and football friends of Florin Marin participated in the funeral service.
“He was a coach and an extraordinary man. Unfortunately, that’s life. We go ahead, we stay with the beautiful memories we have lived with him. I worked a lot with him, and on the national youth team, and at Dinamo.
He was an extraordinary coach. I honestly marked my career. I had a lot of things to learn from him, both in football and in life. Nea Florin Marin was the coach who taught me football”, Said Cosmin Moţi, visibly affected by the death of his former Dinamo coach.
