Popescu prepares for final fling
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Article summary
Gheorghe Popescu will retire from playing after Hannover 96's final game of the season on Saturday.
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Training 'too hard'
Although the 35-year-old's contract runs until 30 June 2004, he has decided to call it a day now. "The training sessions are too hard and too long," he said. "It doesn't make sense to take the risk and to take money for something you don't deserve."
Safe from relegation
Popescu joined Hannover on 29 January from FC Dinamo Bucuresti on a free transfer and has since appeared in 14 matches, scoring one goal. Hannover are now safe from relegation and Saturday's match at DSC Arminia Bielefeld will be the final game of Popescu's glittering career.
European triumphs
A UEFA Cup Winners' Cup triumph with FC Barcelona in 1997 and a UEFA Cup win with Galatasaray SK in 2000 were among the highlights of Popescu's career. Capped 115 times for his country the Romanian ended his international career after a 5-2 defeat against Denmark in a UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifier in March.
Three World Cups
Popescu took part in three FIFA World Cups (1990, 1994 and 1998) and two UEFA European Championships (1996 and 2000) and also had spells with US Lecce, Tottenham Hotspur FC and PSV Eindhoven after beginning his career with FC Universitatea Craiova and FC Steaua Bucuresti in his homeland.
