Anghel Iordănescu turned 75 years ago, on which occasion he was sought by sports television in Romania. On this occasion, the former coach said that Gică Hagi was the greatest Romanian footballer in history, in his vision.
Anghel Iordănescu stayed on the national bank at Euro 2016. Photo Adevărul Archive
Present in the Digi Sport studio, for a gala edition, the legendary coach of Romania was asked by the moderator Vali Moraru “who was the greatest Romanian footballer in history?”. Without thinking, Anghel Iordănescu pronounced the name of Gică Hagi. “He did not ask me anymore, that you know him, Gică Hagi”he said.
The current manager of the lighthouse worked under the baton of Anghel Iordănescu both at Steaua and the national team. At the club, the coach had a student on Hagi between 1986 and 1990, and under the tricolor, the two collaborated in the 1990s, when the highest performance in Romania’s football history was registered, the presence in the final of the World Cup 1994.
War concluded with Mircea Lucescu
In the same show, Anghel Iordănescu wanted to worship and the war of statements with Mircea Lucescu, started a few months ago. The current coach then stated that he wants the national team to play differently, not as for Euro 2024 (when Edi Iordănescu has based on the defensive), and Anghel Iordănescu replied sharply, defending his son.
“You must know that we were colleagues from the national team. Mircea Lucescu was the captain of the national team. I played in Finland for the first time, with that big team that Angelo Niculescu built, with Mircea Lucescu, Cornel Dinu, Dumitrache, Sătmăreanu, an exceptional generation.
Are rivals but friends
In Finland, I won 4-0, if I’m not wrong. Later, from colleagues in the national team, I became a coach at Steaua, he coach at Dinamo, the rivalry intervened. I want you to understand one thing. Even with this rivalry we are talking about, we remained friends, we stayed close. That we have different opinions, this is completely and everything else. This does not mean that if he said something or I gave an answer, the friendship breaks down.
It’s right what he said. I had interventions in certain statements, but that does not mean that I am right and he is not right. I also trust that Mircea Lucescu will take the national team to the World Championship. And he said he took a good team, with results, and that he wants to take the team a level up, which is normal, we all want that. This does not mean that it is a contradiction. He said something related to a certain philosophyI see otherwise. It was about possession, initiative, game control ””said Anghel Iordănescu.
