Marcel Pigulea

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Marcel Pigulea

|image = Marcel_Pigulea_1966_(cropped).jpg

|image_size =

|caption =

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|5|24|df=y}}

|birth_place = Albulești, Romania

|height =

|position = Right back

|youthyears1 = 1955–1959

|youthclubs1 = Progresul Strehaia

|years1 = 1959–1961

|clubs1 = Progresul Strehaia

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 = 1961–1963

|clubs2 = Dunărea Giurgiu

|caps2 =

|goals2 =

|years3 = 1963–1964

|clubs3 = Flacăra Roșie București

|caps3 =

|goals3 =

|years4 = 1964–1965

|clubs4 = Metalul București

|caps4 =

|goals4 =

|years5 = 1965–1966

|clubs5 = Dinamo București

|caps5 = 0

|goals5 = 0

|years6 = 1966–1968

|clubs6 = Politehnica București{{efn|name="SPT"|The statistics for the 1966–67 Divizia B season are unavailable.{{RomanianSoccer|5029/marcel-pigulea}}}}

|caps6 = 14

|goals6 = 3

|years7 = 1968–1974

|clubs7 = Argeș Pitești

|caps7 = 143

|goals7 = 2

|years8 = 1974–1976

|clubs8 = FCM Reșița

|caps8 = 39

|goals8 = 0

|totalcaps = 196

|totalgoals = 5

|manageryears1 = 1976–1981

|managerclubs1 = Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea

|manageryears2 = 1981–1982

|managerclubs2 = Politehnica Timișoara

|manageryears3 = 1982–1984

|managerclubs3 = Romania U18

|manageryears4 = 1984–1985

|managerclubs4 = Dunărea Galați

|manageryears5 = 1985–1986

|managerclubs5 = Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea

|manageryears6 = 1986

|managerclubs6 = Gloria Buzău

|manageryears7 = 1986–1987

|managerclubs7 = UTA Arad

|manageryears8 = 1992–1995

|managerclubs8 = Romania U18

|manageryears9 = 1996–1997

|managerclubs9 = Hassania Agadir

|manageryears10 = 1998–1999

|managerclubs10 = Algeria

}}

Marcel Pigulea (born 24 May 1943) is a Romanian former football player and manager.{{WorldFootball.net|marcel-pigulea}}

Playing career

Marcel Pigulea was born on 24 May 1943 in Albulești, starting to play junior level football in 1955 at Progresul Strehaia, after a while starting to play for the senior squad.{{cite news|url=http://www.fcarges1953.ro/cartea-de-aur/campionii-72/marcel-pigulea/ |language=Romanian|publisher=fcarges1953.ro |access-date=2 July 2016 |title=Marcel Pigulea |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308014307/http://www.fcarges1953.ro/cartea-de-aur/campionii-72/marcel-pigulea/ |archive-date=8 March 2013}}{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/pitesti/singura-echipa-romaneasca-de-fotbal-care-a-invins-1846838.html | title=Să nu-l uităm pe fostul campion alb-violet Marcel Pigulea!| publisher=Jurnaluldearges.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Let's not forget the former white-purple champion Marcel Pigulea!| date=24 May 2022 | access-date=28 August 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/pitesti/singura-echipa-romaneasca-de-fotbal-care-a-invins-1846838.html | title=Marcel Pigulea a împlinit 81 de ani! FC Argeș nu l-a uitat| publisher=Jurnaluldearges.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Marcel Pigulea turned 81 years old! FC Argeș did not forget him| date=24 May 2024 | access-date=28 August 2024}} In 1961 he went for two years at Dunărea Giurgiu, followed by one season at Flacăra Roșie București and another at Metalul București, all of them being in the lower leagues of Romania. In 1965 he signed with Divizia A club, Dinamo București for which he did not play, one year later returning to Divizia B football at Politehnica București where he was teammate with Mircea Lucescu.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/stiri/68326/dinamo-bucuresti-in-1965-66.htm|title=Dinamo Bucuresti in 1965–66|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=28 August 2024}}

In 1968, Pigulea went to play for Argeș Pitești where on 8 September coach Ion Bălănescu gave him his Divizia A debut in a 2–1 away loss in front of Petrolul Ploiești. In the 1971–72 season he helped Argeș win the first title in its history, coaches Titus Ozon and Florin Halagian giving him 27 appearances.{{cite web | url=http://www.libertatea.ro/sport/fotbal-intern/luati-la-pret-de-matineu-592229 | title=Luați la preț de matineu!| publisher=Libertatea.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Take at matinee price!| date=29 May 2011 | access-date=28 August 2024}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/menu_items/champions.shtml|title=Romania National Champions |publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=28 August 2024}} Afterwards he played four games in the 1972–73 European Cup, eliminating Aris Bonnevoie in the first round, then in the following one they won a home game with 2–1 against Real Madrid but lost the second leg with 3–1.{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/pitesti/singura-echipa-romaneasca-de-fotbal-care-a-invins-1846838.html | title=Singura echipă românească de fotbal care a învins trei mari cluburi din Spania. Marele Dobrin a fost cheia succeselor| publisher=Adevarul.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=The only Romanian football team that has defeated three major clubs in Spain. The great Dobrin was the key to success| date=1 March 2018 | access-date=28 August 2024}}
{{cite web|publisher=WorldFootball|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/marcel-pigulea/champions-league-1972-1973/arge-piteti/3/|title=Marcel Pigulea. Champions League 1972/1973|access-date=28 August 2024}} Years later in an interview for the Adevărul newspaper he talked about the victory with the Spaniards:"It was an incredible victory for us and for Romanian football. Even now I still have the newspapers somewhere in the attic with the articles written in October 1972 about our victory against Real Madrid. We hoped, we believed, but we did not imagine that we would beat Real. The whole team played very well, and Dobrin was in top form."{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/pitesti/cum-putea-dobrin-printul-din-trivale-sa-ajunga-2214383.html | title=Cum putea Dobrin, "Prințul din Trivale", să ajungă rege la Real Madrid| publisher=Adevarul.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=How could Dobrin, the "Prince of Trivale", become king at Real Madrid| date=22 October 2022 | access-date=28 August 2024}} In his last season at Argeș, he played in both legs of the 6–2 loss on aggregate with Fenerbahçe from the first round of the 1973–74 UEFA Cup.{{cite web | url=https://tikitaka.ro/fc-arges-fenerbahce-1973/ | title=FC Argeș – Fenerbahce 1-1 (Cupa UEFA – 3 octombrie 1973)| publisher=Tikitaka.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=FC Argeș – Fenerbahce 1-1 (Cupa UEFA – 3 October 1973)| date= 3 October 2022| access-date=28 August 2024}}
{{cite web|publisher=WorldFootball|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/marcel-pigulea/uefa-cup-1973-1974/arge-piteti/3/|title=Ion Roșu. UEFA Cup 1973/1974|access-date=28 August 2024}}

Pigulea ended his playing career after spending two seasons at Divizia A club FCM Reșița, having a total of 182 matches with two goals scored in the competition.

Managerial career

Marcel Pigulea started coaching in 1976 at Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea which he helped promote to the first league two years later.{{cite web | url=https://www.sport.ro/fotbal-intern/antrenorul-care-i-a-antrenat-pe-gica-si-ianis-hagi-dezvaluie-asemanarile-dintre-cei-doi-zambitiosi-individualisti.html | title=Antrenorul care i-a antrenat pe Gică și Ianis dezvăluie asemănările dintre cei doi: "Ambițioși, individualiști și căpoși"| publisher=Sport.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=The coach who trained Gică and Ianis reveals the similarities between the two: "Ambitious, individualistic and stubborn"| date=30 May 2019 | access-date=28 August 2024}} In 1981 he left Râmnicu Vâlcea to coach Politehnica Timișoara for one year. Afterwards he coached Romania's under-18 national team, helping it qualify to the 1983 European Under-18 Championship, teaching and forming players like Gheorghe Hagi, Marius Lăcătuș, Gheorghe Mihali, Dumitru Stângaciu, Dorin Mateuț, Zsolt Muzsnay or Emil Săndoi.{{cite web | url=https://www.gsp.ro/fotbal/nationala/marcel-pigulea-hagi-a-fost-in-primii-jucatori-ai-lumii-175106.html | title=Marcel Pigulea:"Hagi a fost în primii jucători ai lumii"| publisher=Gsp.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Marcel Pigulea:"Hagi was among the first players in the world"| date=5 February 2010 | access-date=28 August 2024}} Since 1985 he coached several clubs like Dunărea Galați, a second spell at Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea, Gloria Buzău and UTA Arad.{{cite web | url=https://www.libertatea.ro/sport/cum-se-faceau-blaturi-in-fotbal-in-perioada-comunista-sandu-gaica-uta-nu-avea-sprijinul-partidului-comunist-cum-se-intampla-la-timisoara-oradea-sau-petrosani-2673178 | title=Cum se făceau blaturi în fotbal în perioada comunistă. Sandu Gaica: "UTA nu avea sprijinul partidului comunist, cum se întâmpla la Timișoara, Oradea sau Petroșani!"| publisher=Libertatea.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=How were the tops made in football during the communist period. Sandu Gaica: "UTA did not have the support of the communist party, as happened in Timișoara, Oradea or Petroșani!"| date=23 June 2019 | access-date=28 August 2024}} Then in the early 1990s he started coaching Romania's under-18 side once again, this time promoting players like Ionuț Luțu, Mugur Bolohan, Cristian Ciocoiu or Constantin Schumacher. In 1996 he started working abroad, firstly at Moroccan side Hassania Agadir, then from 1998 until 1999 at Algeria's national team.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/alg-coach.html|title=Algeria National Team Coaches|publisher=RSSSF|access-date=2 June 2016}} In 1999 he founded the private school "Clubul Pro Luceafărul" where players like Răzvan Marin, Ianis Hagi or Nicolas Popescu took their first steps in football.{{cite web | url=https://www.digisport.ro/fotbal/de-la-gica-hagi-si-popescu-la-ianis-hagi-si-razvan-marin-marcel-pigulea-povesteste-ce-au-in-comun-regele-si-fiul-sau-667321 | title=De la Gică Hagi și Popescu la Ianis Hagi și Răzvan Marin. Marcel Pigulea povestește ce au în comun "Regele" şi fiul său| publisher=Digisport.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=From Gică Hagi and Popescu to Ianis Hagi and Răzvan Marin. Marcel Pigulea tells what the "King" and his son have in common| date=30 May 2019 | access-date=28 August 2024}}