Mircea Petescu

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mircea Petescu

| fullname = Mircea Viorel Petescu

| image = Mircea Petescu 1962.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = Petescu in 1962

| height = {{height|m=1.80}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1942|05|15}}

| birth_place = Pecica, Arad County, Romania

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2018|12|16|1942|05|15}}

| death_place = Vosselaar, Belgium

| position = Defender

| years1 = 1959–1960

| clubs1 = UTA Arad

| caps1 = 10

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 1960–1963

| clubs2 = Știința Timișoara

| caps2 = 50

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 1962–1963

| clubs3 = → Viitorul București (loan)

| caps3 = 14

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1963–1967

| clubs4 = Steaua București

| caps4 = 80

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1967–1973

| clubs5 = UTA Arad

| caps5 = 172

| goals5 = 20

| years6 = 1973–1975

| clubs6 = FC Dordrecht

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| totalcaps = 326

| totalgoals = 24

| nationalyears1 = 1964–1968

| nationalteam1 = Romania{{efn|name="ROM"|Including three appearances for Romania's Olympic team.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=16496|title=Mircea Petescu|publisher=European Football|access-date=26 January 2021}}{{NFT player|id=37693}}}}

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1973–1975

| managerclubs1 = FC Dordrecht (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 1975–1977

| managerclubs2 = NEC (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 1977–1978

| managerclubs3 = Telstar

| manageryears4 = 1978–1980

| managerclubs4 = Sparta Rotterdam

| manageryears5 = 1981–1982

| managerclubs5 = DS'79

| manageryears6 = 1982–1984

| managerclubs6 = 's-Gravenzandse SV

| manageryears7 = 1985–1988

| managerclubs7 = Go Ahead Eagles (manager)

| manageryears8 = 1988

| managerclubs8 = Go Ahead Eagles (caretaker)

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate =

}}

Mircea Viorel Petescu (15 May 1942 – 16 December 2018){{cite web|url=https://www.sparta-rotterdam.nl/voormalig-trainer-mircea-petescu-overleden/|title=Voormalig trainer Mircea Petescu overleden|publisher=sparta-rotterdam.nl|language=nl|date=16 December 2018|access-date=18 December 2018}} was a Romanian professional footballer, coach and sports agent.[http://www.libertatea.ro/sport/fotbal-extern/mircea-petescu-eu-l-am-descoperit-pe-van-gaal-483010 Mircea Petescu: "Eu l-am descoperit pe Van Gaal!" Cine e Mircea Petescu?] – Libertatea {{in lang|ro}}

Club career

Petescu was born on 15 May 1942 in Pecica.{{RomanianSoccer|1571/mircea-petescu}}{{cite web| url=https://www.libertatea.ro/sport/a-murit-mircea-petescu-impresarul-care-l-a-dus-pe-gica-hagi-la-real-madrid-2488975| title=A murit Mircea Petescu, impresarul care l-a dus pe Gică Hagi la Real Madrid. A fost căpitan la UTA, când arădenii au eliminat-o pe Feyenoord| publisher=Libertatea.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Mircea Petescu, the manager who took Gica Hagi to Real Madrid, has died. He was captain at UTA, when the Arad team eliminated Feyenoord | date=16 December 2018| access-date=25 December 2021}}{{cite web| url=https://www.prosport.ro/sport-life/special/a-murit-mircea-petescu-unul-dintre-primii-impresari-ai-anilor-90-omul-care-i-a-dus-pe-hagi-la-real-madrid-si-gica-popescu-la-psv-eindhoven-fostul-capitan-de-la-uta-suferea-de-alzheimer-17787161| title=A murit Mircea Petescu, unul dintre primii impresari ai anilor 90, omul care i-a dus pe Hagi la Real Madrid și Gică Popescu la PSV Eindhoven. Fostul căpitan de la UTA suferea de Alzheimer| publisher=Prosport.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Mircea Petescu died, one of the first sports agent of the 90s, the man who took Hagi to Real Madrid and Gică Popescu to PSV Eindhoven. The former UTA captain was suffering from Alzheimer's disease | date=16 December 2018| access-date=25 December 2021}}{{cite web| url=https://www.digisport.ro/special/mircea-petescu-cel-care-l-a-dus-pe-hagi-la-real-madrid-a-murit-drama-prin-care-a-trecut-in-ultimii-ani-577101| title=Mircea Petescu, cel care l-a dus pe Hagi la Real Madrid, a murit. Drama prin care a trecut în ultimii ani| publisher=Digisport.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Mircea Petescu, who took Hagi to Real Madrid, has died. The drama he's been through for the last few years | date=16 December 2018| access-date=25 December 2021}} He made his Divizia A debut on 6 September 1959 for UTA Arad in a 2–2 draw against Steagul Roșu Brașov. After only one season, he left for Știința Timișoara, UTA's rivals, where he spent three years, including half a season on loan at Viitorul București.

File:Constantin Frățilă, Mircea Petescu 1962.jpg in 1963.}}]]

In 1963, Petescu moved to Steaua București, whom he helped win two Cupa României in his four seasons at the club, coach Ilie Savu using him in only one of the finals, the one from 1966 when he played the whole match in the 4–0 over his former side, UTA.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1965_1966.shtml|title=Romanian Cup – Season 1965–1966|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=17 October 2024}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1966_1967.shtml|title=Romanian Cup – Season 1966–1967|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=17 October 2024}}

File:UTA Arad 1969-70.jpg the champions of Romania in 1970.}}]]

In 1967, he returned to UTA, where he would play for six seasons, helping the team win two consecutive Divizia A titles under the guidance of coach Nicolae Dumitrescu, contributing with eight goals in 27 appearances in the first season and one goal in 30 games in the second.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/menu_items/champions.shtml|title=Romania National Champions |publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=18 January 2023}} He also played European football with The Old Lady, captaining the team as they managed to eliminate defending European Cup champions Feyenoord in the 1970–71 European Cup season. The following year, Petescu played eight games in the 1971–72 UEFA Cup campaign as UTA reached the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Tottenham Hotspur.{{cite web | url=https://tackle.ro/fotbalul-de-alta-data-uta-arad-tottenham-hotspur-cupa-uefa-1972/ | title=Fotbalul de altă dată: UTA Arad – Tottenham Hotspur, Cupa UEFA, 1972| publisher=Tackle.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Football of another time: UTA Arad - Tottenham Hotspur, UEFA Cup, 1972| date=10 February 2019 | access-date=18 January 2023}}

Petescu ended his playing career at FC Dordrecht in Netherlands. He made a total of 326 appearances in Divizia A, scoring 24 goals, and 22 appearances in European competitions.

International career

Petescu played two games for Romania, making his debut on 27 October 1968 under coach Angelo Niculescu in a 3–0 loss against Portugal in the 1970 World Cup qualifiers.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=14020|title=Portugal 3-0 Romania|publisher=European Football|access-date=25 December 2021}} His second game was a friendly which ended 0–0 with England. He was chosen by coach Silviu Ploeșteanu to be part of Romania's Olympic team at the 1964 Summer Olympics from Tokyo, where he played three games, helping the team finish on fifth place.{{cite news|url=https://www.11v11.com/players/mircea-petescu-168189/|title=Mircea Petescu profile|publisher=11v11|access-date=25 December 2021}}
{{cite web|url=https://theplaymaker.ro/ultima-participare-a-romaniei-la-olimpiada-1964-sfert-cu-ungaria/5341/|title=Cum a fost ultima participare a României la Olimpiadă, în 1964, când "tricolorii" au pierdut dramatic sfertul cu Ungaria|publisher=Theplaymaker.ro|language=Romanian |trans-title=How was Romania's last participation in the Olympics, in 1964, when "The Tricolors" dramatically lost the quarter to Hungary|date=27 June 2019 |access-date=17 October 2024}}
{{cite web|publisher=WorldFootball|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/mircea-petescu/olympische-spiele-1964/rumaenien-olymp-team/3/|title=Mircea Petescu - Olympic Games 1964|access-date=17 October 2024}}

Managerial career

After years of preparation, Petescu and his wife defected while on a state-approved vacation to the Netherlands.Poul Annema, [http://leiden.courant.nu/issue/NLC/1973-09-08/edition/0/page/19 Petescu, van vedette tot anonyme], Nieuwe Leidsche Courant, 8 September 1973. {{in lang|nl}} There he started a coaching career and became known for promoting youngsters in the teams he coached. He coached Louis van Gaal at Telstar and Sparta and discovered Danny Blind amongst many other players.[http://www.ad.nl/eredivisie/roemeense-krant-betitelt-van-gaal-als-van-hitler~a5a928fe/ Roemeense krant betitelt Van Gaal als 'Van Hitler'] – AD {{in lang|nl}}

Sports agent career

Petescu became a sports agent following the end of his career as a football player and manager. After the 1989 Romanian Revolution, he oversaw the first important transfer in Romanian football, Gheorghe Hagi's move from Steaua București to Real Madrid for $4 million. He also worked on the transfers of Gheorghe Popescu to PSV Eindhoven, Ioan Sabău to Feyenoord and Dorinel Munteanu to Cercle Brugge.