The prophet of profit in Romania

By Paul-Daniel Zaharia

Traditionally, club owners have shown a limited concern for the profits. With local businessmen usually happy to run their clubs as a personal indulgence or a service to their community, profit-orientated owners are a reasonably new phenomenon.

Profit is king
Even more so in the former Eastern Bloc nations where, since the fall of communism, capitalism remains a novelty. However, in former Romanian communist police officer Dinel Staciu, FC Universitatea Craiova have one of the most eccentric and profit-motivated owners of all.

Miraculous rise
The 46-year-old started out as a businessman after the 1989 revolution in Romania possessing only an apartment and a modest sum of cash. Within ten years, he became one of the richest men in the country with an estimated fortune of €60m. "I didn't break any law," explained Staciu. "I just profited from the lack of laws at that time."

Higher targets
Some years ago, Staciu became the main investor in second division club CSM Resita, but with his entrepreneurial prowess - best illustrated by his personal motto "how can I earn money from this business?" - it was not long before he set his sights higher, becoming chief shareholder at Universitatea, a famous club fallen on hard times.

Great achievements
In the 1981/82 season, the club won a league and cup double and reached the quarter-finals of the European Champion Clubs' Cup. The following season, Universitatea reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup with wins against AC Fiorentina, FC Girondins de Bordeaux and 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

Ambitious plans
While that level of success may be beyond Staicu, he has certainly shown no lack of ambition. His attempts to lure former England international Paul Gascoigne to the Ion Oblemenco stadium recently seemed crazy in Romania, but made perfect sense to Staciu. "In every game we played we would have had full stadiums, publicity and high income," he said. "Maybe we would have even made a profit."

Unmarried quarters
With Universitatea struggling at the foot of Divizia A, Staciu's obsession with value for money took a strange turn. Staicu is a man who loves discipline, and he was extremely unhappy that so many Universitatea players loved nightlife. It is for that reason that the businessman is erecting a luxury block of flats to house the club's unmarried players.

Under guard
However, this was not simply a generous gesture. On the ground floor of the soon-to-be-completed block will be a doorman, who will note when each player comes home in the evening. His duties, aside from guarding his residents' cars, will include ensuring players are asleep by 22:00 and waking them up in the morning.

Sweet discipline
"This matter, of discipline, had to be solved because I don't want to hear about nightlife any more," said Staciu. " I invested to have a real team and quality football here in Craiova. Nothing can be achieved without discipline. And in recent games there has been a lack of discipline in our squad which has affected our performance."

Wild scheme
Perhaps strangely for a man of such avowed capitalist principles, Staicu looks back on Romania's years of communist dictatorship under Nicolae Ceausescu with affection. Indeed, his affection for the dictator may have led to the wildest of all his schemes.

Profit margin
Staciu has invested €3m in the construction of a museum to commemorate Ceausescu in the dictator's home village of Scornicesti. "Admission will cost only €1 and I'll turn a profit in two years," insisted Staicu. With the confidence of his convictions and commitment to getting the job done, you would not bet against him.