On March 18, the Romanian Football Federation will hold elections for the main leadership positions, including the post of president of the forum that manages Romanian football. Răzvan Burleanu (41 years old) announced his candidacy about ten days ago.
Burleanu’s first official opponent is Ilie Drăgan, who had participated in the elections in 2018 as well, without obtaining votes. Drăgan, an open critic of the current leadership, intends to submit his candidacy file in the next period.
“I hope I’m not the only candidate, I hope there will be more candidates for the presidency of the FRF. I’m a man passionate about football, a hardworking man and with intuition in making certain decisions regarding my work.
I can even say that I would have a vision, in the sense that over time I have been one step ahead of other clubs at my level, I mean in my capacity as club president. I’m a man who doesn’t give up, I was good at resistance when I was legit. I am currently the president of the 3 Kids Sport football club, which I founded with others in 2008!“Drăgan said, according to prosport.ro.
“I wouldn’t want to have just 5, I’d like to have 8-9 proposals!”
A candidacy only becomes official if it is supported by at least five affiliated members of the FRF. So far, Drăgan has obtained four such endorsements: “The file is not finished yet. I still need a candidacy proposal, I have 4 so far. I still have 5-6 people who told me that they will give me the candidacy and I will meet with them in the following days. They promised me, now I hope that at least one of them will keep their word.
Personally, I don’t think there will be any problems with another candidacy proposal. I would not like to have only 5, I would like to have 8-9 proposals, that I can expect anything!“Drăgan also admitted.
He vehemently contests the Burleanu regime
“Răzvan Burleanu uses the word “together” all the time. “Together we are a family”, “together we are better”. I’ve had that too, but using messages without substance without putting them into practice would be a problem. I don’t think the message is important, but what we do. I could say “unity”. And maybe “we suffer together” could be a slogan.Those from the management of the FRF do not suffer together with Romanian football. They are two totally separate things. The Romanian Football Federation which is really doing very well if we look at the Mercedes that are there and what the Federation building looks like on the inside. The wealth of those who run the FRF. And Romanian football, which is falling apart day by day.
“Lack of communication. Fix what Răzvan Burleanu says he will promote!”
These days I really put my club and family aside and watch what’s going on. I watched Burleanu’s speech in 2014, when he became president. He then said ‘I will check with affiliate members’. First of all, consultation is not the best method. Debate, then vote are the methods that should be taken. This is the main thing I reproach Răzvan Burleanu with. The fact that he implemented the consultation and remained at the consultation level.
“Everyone suffers from the decisions of the FRF leadership!”
It did not go to the next stage, that is, to the debate, then to the vote. When an affiliated member comes up with a proposal and feels it needs to be discussed, the FRF president or the people around him do not call everyone interested in the issue to discuss it and find solutions. There is democracy, but at the moment I think it’s an autocratic, directive style, where things don’t go well with debate.
The undertakers are not affiliate members, but a group of people. Who suffers from these decisions? First of all, the clubs, the AJFs, the parents, the supporters, the media suffer. Who makes the decisions? Only those from the FRF leadership!“Drăgan also said.
