Viorel Vișan

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Viorel Vișan

| image =

| image_size =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|01|21|df=y}}{{RomanianSoccer|4801/viorel-visan}}

| birth_place = Gădăleni, Romania

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height =

| position = Centre back

| years1 = 1968–1976 |clubs1 = CFR Cluj |caps1 = 177 |goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1976–1982 |clubs2 = Politehnica Timișoara |caps2 = 173 |goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1982–1984 |clubs3 = CFR Timișoara |caps3 = |goals3 =

| years4 = 1984–1985 |clubs4 = UM Timișoara |caps4 = |goals4 =

| totalcaps = 350 | totalgoals = 0

| pcupdate = 17 January 2020

| manageryears1 = 1991 |managerclubs1 = Politehnica Timișoara

| manageryears2 = 1999 |managerclubs2 = CSM Reșița (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 1999 |managerclubs3 = CSM Reșița (caretaker)

| manageryears4 = 1999–2000 |managerclubs4 = CSM Reșița (assistant)

| manageryears5 = 2000 |managerclubs5 = CSM Reșița (caretaker)

| manageryears6 = 2003 |managerclubs6 = Politehnica Timișoara

}}

Viorel Vișan (born 21 January 1952) is a Romanian former footballer and manager.{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/news/sport/viorel-visan-noul-antrenor-echipei-poli-aek-timisoara-1_50ba02df7c42d5a663afb507/index.html | title=Viorel Visan, noul antrenor al echipei Poli AEK Timișoara| publisher=Adevarul.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Viorel Visan, the new coach of Poli AEK Timișoara| date=25 July 2003 | access-date=17 January 2020}}{{cite web | url=https://debanat.ro/2014/07/viorel-visan-urmatorul-simbol-polist-mazilit-de-conducerea-lui-poli_78378.html | title=Viorel Visan, urmatorul simbol polist mazilit de conducerea lui Poli?| publisher=Debanat.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Viorel Visan, the next symbol of Poli deposed by Poli's leadership?| date=24 July 2014 | access-date=17 January 2020}}

He was mostly known for his spell as a player at Politehnica Timișoara with whom he won the 1979–80 Cupa României, scoring one goal in the final against Steaua București, also helping them eliminate Celtic in the 1980–81 European Cup Winners' Cup.

Playing career

Vișan was born on 21 January 1952 in Gădăleni, Romania, starting to play football at the youth system of CFR Cluj.{{cite web | url=https://www.aspolitehnica.upt.ro/2024/09/18/viorel-visan-la-istoria-fotbalului-ep-1/ | title=Viorel Vișan la "Istoria fotbalului" (ep. 1)| publisher=Aspolitehnica.upt.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Viorel Vișan on "The History of Football" (ep. 1)| date=18 September 2024 | access-date=11 April 2025}} He started his senior career during the 1968–69 Divizia B season at the end of which CFR earned promotion to the first division. In the following season, coach Constantin Rădulescu gave him his Divizia A debut on 7 December 1969, while he was aged 17 in The Railwaymen's 4–2 away loss to Farul Constanța.

In 1976, Vișan signed with Politehnica Timișoara where his first performance was earning a third place in the 1977–78 season. Afterwards he made his debut in European competitions, playing in four games from the 1978–79 UEFA Cup campaign as they eliminated MTK Hungária in the first round, being eliminated by Budapest Honved in the following one.{{cite web|publisher=WorldFootball|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/viorel-visan/uefa-cup-1978-1979/fc-timisoara/3/|title=Viorel Vișan. Europa League 1978/1979|access-date=11 April 2025}} He won the only trophy of his career, the 1979–80 Cupa României, being used by coach Ion Ionescu all the minutes of the final with Steaua București in which he opened the score in the 2–1 victory.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1979_1980.shtml|title=Romanian Cup – Season 1979–1980|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=11 April 2025}} He then helped the club eliminate Celtic in the first round of the 1980–81 European Cup Winners' Cup, being eliminated with 4–1 on aggregate in the following one by West Ham United.{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/locale/timisoara/remember-poli---celtic-glasgow-urma-31-ani-timisoara-zguduit-europa-1_50ad727e7c42d5a6639553af/index.html | title=Remember Poli – Celtic Glasgow: în urmă cu 31 de ani Timişoara a zguduit Europa| publisher=Adevarul.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Remember Poli - Celtic Glasgow: 31 years ago Timisoara shook Europe| date=3 October 2011 | access-date=11 April 2025}}{{cite web|publisher=WorldFootball|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/viorel-visan/ec-der-pokalsieger-1980-1981/fc-timisoara/3/|title=Viorel Vișan. Cup Winners Cup 1980/1981|access-date=11 April 2025}} He reached with Poli another Cupa României final in 1981, which was lost to Universitatea Craiova, Vișan being used the full 90 minutes by coach Ionescu in the 6–0 loss.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1980_1981.shtml|title=Romanian Cup – Season 1980–1981|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=11 April 2025}} He made his last Divizia A appearance on 6 December 1981 in Politehnica's 2–0 away loss to Argeș Pitești, having a total of 346 appearances in the competition and 10 matches in European competitions. Vișan ended his career in 1985, after playing two years for CFR Timișoara in the second league and one at UM Timișoara in the third league.

Managerial career

Vișan started his career as head coach in 1991 at Politehnica Timișoara, following the departure of Costică Rădulescu, being replaced in the summer of the same year by Ion Ionescu for whom he continued to work as an assistant.{{cite web|url=http://www.labtof.ro/profil/viorel-visan-7039/|title=Viorel Vișan manager profile|publisher=Labtof|access-date=17 January 2020}}{{cite web | url=https://www.aspolitehnica.upt.ro/2024/11/27/viorel-visan-la-istoria-fotbalului-ep-10/ | title=Viorel Vișan la "Istoria fotbalului" (ep. 10)| publisher=Aspolitehnica.upt.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Viorel Vișan on "The History of Football" (ep. 10)| date=27 November 2024 | access-date=11 April 2025}} From 1999 until 2000 he worked as head coach and assistant at CSM Reșița.{{cite web | url=https://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/stiri/gabi-stan-merge-pe-mina-lui-visan--tl7.html | title=Gabi Stan merge pe mana lui Visan| publisher=Ziaruldeiasi.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Gabi Stan goes to Visan's hand| date=29 June 1999 | access-date=11 April 2025}} In 2003 he had his second spell as head coach at Politehnica, after which he gained a total of 29 games managed in Divizia A. Vișan also coached juniors, winning the 2002–03 national junior championship with Politehnica Timișoara.{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/stiri-interne/societate/timisoara-viorel-visan-creste-fotbalisti-811797.html | title=Timișoara: Viorel Vișan "crește" fotbaliști timișoreni| publisher=Adevarul.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Timișoara: Viorel Vișan "grows" Timișoara footballers| date=8 May 2009 | access-date=11 April 2025}}{{cite web | url=https://sporttim.ro/fotbal/viorel-visan-marcator-in-finala-cupei-si-conducator-al-centrului-polist-la-moment-aniversar | title=Viorel Vișan, marcator în finala Cupei și conducător al Centrului polist, la moment aniversar| publisher=Sporttim.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Viorel Vișan, scorer in the Cup final and leader of the Poli Center, on his anniversary| date=21 January 2011 | access-date=11 April 2025}}