After 7-1 with modest San Marino, the selector Mircea Lucescu (80 years old) announced on Tuesday night, in Ploiești, that he remains at the helm of the national football team for the games on March 26 and possibly March 31, the semi-finals, respectively the finals of the qualifying round for next year’s final world tournament.
Mircea Lucescu is 80 years old
“I scored 7 goals, it could have been 12! The weak team (no – San Marino’s). I was concerned to see the boys that after the match against Bosnia they are showing a different type of football on the field. There, in 3 minutes, in Bosnia, I gave 15 balls to the opponent. They were decisive for establishing the score. We scored the goal after 25 consecutive passes. Unwarranted fear kept us from building as we did today. This time, I saw the team how I would like us to play. It’s like they were in training. And today we entered disconnected. I was upset, I was not scared by their goal! I categorically forbade them to play long balls. Those who created such an atmosphere do not belong with the national team! Some rejoice, to show that they are right. I’m going to the lottery tomorrow“, said “Il Luce”, into the Digi microphone.
It was the technician who created a state of uncertainty regarding the coach. He had declared at one point that, “if I don’t qualify the team, I leave another one at the bar“. Later, he stated that “I can’t be fired”, sign that he is the one who leads the president Răzvan Burleanu, the de facto head of the FRF.
On Thursday, from 2:00 p.m., in Zurich, the draw for the play-off matches takes place. Romania will play the first away game.
Italy, Turkey, Poland and Ukraine are possible opponents. “I hope we fall with Ukraine, and so are debts sold to us“, a supporter joked on the national team’s official Facebook account.
On December 5, the already qualified teams will go to the polls to determine the World Championship groups.
With 13 points, Romania finished in 3rd place in Group H of the preliminaries, after the leader Austria (19 points), directly qualified, and after Bosnia (17 points), which goes to the play-offs.
The winners of the groups from the European area qualified for the WC: Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Austria, Norway, Belgium, England and Croatia.
