Hizo steps in at Farul

Viorel Hizo has taken over from Petre Grigoras as coach of FC Farul Constanta.

Notorious disciplinarian
The 53-year-old coach is a notorious disciplinarian and will have to have his wits about him as he takes over at Farul following a clash between players and his predecessor, Grigoras.

Top-flight experience
Hizo has been coaching in the Romanian top flight since 1990 when he was in charge at FC Inter Sibiu before switching to FC Rapid Bucuresti in 1993. He briefly joined National in the 1994/95 season before returning to Rapid and was on the move again at the start of the 1995 season when he joined FC Brasov.

Third Rapid move
He took charge of FC Dinamo Bucuresti for the 1997/98 season before moving on to take charge of FC Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt for a couple of seasons before returning for a third spell with Rapid last season. However, all did not run smooth for Hizo and he was dismissed after 26 rounds of the Divizia A season.

Players' mutiny
Claiming to be outraged by Grigoras's coaching methods, Farul players refused to return to the club's training camp after Saturday's 4-1 defeat against FC National Bucuresti. Grigoras subsequently became the first casualty of the Romanian season,  resigning after just two Divizia A games - a 0-0 home draw with CF Gloria Bistrita 1922 preceded last weekend's loss.
 
Second thoughts
The 38-year-old, who was also Farul's general manager, took part in a board meeting after the National game where it was decided that there was no need for him to relinquish his position. However, after spending two days mulling over his decision, Grigoras surprisingly opted to stand down after two-and-a-half years in charge at the Gheorghe Hagi stadium.

'Not my style'
He led the Constanta club into the top flight via the play-offs in 2001, and another play-off success last term saw Farul avoid an immediate relegation. Grigoras said today: "I cannot be content with small achievements - always fighting relegation is not my style. Unfortunately, some players whom I discovered in the lower divisions have now turned against me."

'Smell of the grass'
Grigoras will now take a two-week holiday before his search for a new club begins. He announced a desire to focus solely on the coaching of a team because he "likes the smell of the grass, not the smell of paper in an office".