Romania
Friday, December 31, 2010
Article summary
In their first UEFA European Under-19 Championship, hosts Romania have reached the elite round three times in the last four seasons and will look to continue that progress.
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Romania qualified automatically for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship as hosts and, having reached the elite round in three of the previous seasons, will hope to continue their progress. While friendly results have been mixed – defeats against Serbia (1-3) and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (0-4), as well as a 2-1 win against the latter – a number of the players have gained invaluable first-team experience over the past season.
Romario Benzar (FC Viitorul Constanța), Ionuț Năstăsie (FC Steaua București II), Andrei Peteleu (FC Delta Tulcea) and Tiberiu Serediuc (CS Otopeni) are all regulars in the second division and are the team's longest-serving players.
Around them a solid and united group has been built with midfielders Alin Cârstocea (FC Viitorul Constanța) and Nicușor Stanciu (FC Unirea Alba Iulia), and forward Adrian Markus (FC Bihor) also earning plenty of pitch time. Foreign-based experience comes from Sebastian Remeș (Budapest Honvéd FC), Walter Adam (SC Freiburg) and possibly Juventus goalkeeper Laurențiu Brănescu.
Qualified automatically as hosts
Key players
Romario Benzar (attacking midfielder, FC Viitorul Constanța), Ionuț Năstăsie (midfielder, FC Steaua București II), Andrei Peteleu (defender, FC Delta Tulcea), Tiberiu Serediuc (midfielder, CS Otopeni)
Coach: Lucian Burchel
Date of birth: 20th March 1964
Playing career: Minerul Lupeni, Sportul Studențesc, FC Inter Sibiu, Nyíregyháza Spartacus FC, FC Monthey
Coaching career: CSȘ Șoimii Sibiu, FC Sibiu, Romania Under-19
A forward won who two caps for Romania's senior national side, Burchel spent most of his career – seven years – at Sportul Studențesc before his top-flight career ended with four seasons at Inter, with whom he won the 1991 Balkan Cup. After two years in Hungary and Switzerland, Burchel retired as a player aged 32 having scored 27 goals in 160 top-flight appearances in his homeland.
Having started his coaching career at youth level, Burchel had a short spell in the senior game with Sibiu but returned to work with youth sides in 2007, when he accepted a post within the Romanian Football Federation (FRF).
Team facts
Friendly top scorer
Adrian Markus (8 goals)
UEFA European Under-19 Championship best
Elite round 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010
Honours in UEFA youth competitions
International Youth Tournament (U18)
Winners: 1962
Runners-up: 1960