Romania coach Iordanescu keen to tempt defenders back

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu will try to persuade experienced defenders Mirel Radoi and Stefan Radu to come out of international retirement to help strengthen his team for their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

Romania coach Iordanescu keen to tempt defenders back

(Reuters)





Centre back Radoi, 33, who plays for Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates, quit the national team after a confrontation with then-Romania coach Razvan Lucescu in 2010.

Lazio left back Radu, 28, retired from international football last year citing "personal reasons".

Radoi, capped 67 times between 2000 and 2010, can also play as a defensive midfielder while Radu, who has featured 14 times for Romania, can operate at centre back.

"I'm interested in any player who can help the national team," Iordanescu told local media on Thursday. "Radoi and Radu proved they're players who can produce top performances.

"I want to talk to them but I'll not have telephone conversations (with them). I want to meet them."

Unbeaten Romania top Euro 2016 qualifying Group F with 10 points from four matches.

Iordanescu took over as Romania coach for a third time in October and has guided them to a 2-0 qualifying win against surprise package Northern Ireland before they outclassed Denmark by the same scoreline in a friendly in Bucharest.

"There are no major changes in the team in my first two matches in charge because only a fool would do that so soon after taking the post," said Iordanescu. "But now I want to bring new players to the national team."

He guided Romania to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals, their best tournament finish, Euro '96 and the 1998 World Cup. They reached the Euro 2000 quarter-finals under Emerich Jenei.

The 64-year-old Iordanescu said he would organise a training camp for home-based players during the 2-1/2 month domestic winter break before the league resumes in February.





(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov in Sofia, Editing by Tom Hayward)


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world