Viorel Turcu
Romanian footballer (1960–2020)

Viorel Turcu
Personal information
Date of birth (1960-08-09)9 August 1960
Place of birth Slobozia, Argeș, Romania
Date of death 29 November 2020(2020-11-29) (aged 60)
Place of death Piatra Neamț, Romania
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position Forward
Youth career
Argeș Pitești
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1982 Argeș Pitești 86 (10)
1983 Steaua București 23 (5)
1984 Dinamo București 11 (2)
1984–1986 Olt Scornicești 60 (13)
1986 Steaua București 5 (0)
1986–1989 Olt Scornicești 66 (12)
1989–1990 UTA Arad
1991 Nistrul Chișinău 2 (0)
1991–1992 Szarvasi Vasas 3 (0)
1992–1996 Olt Scornicești
Total 256 (42)
International career
1982 Romania 7 (1)
Managerial career
1992–1996 Olt Scornicești (player-coach)
1996–1997 Cimentul Fieni
Fulgerul Bragadiru
2009–2011 Argeșul Mihăilești
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Viorel Turcu (9 August 1960 – 29 November 2020) was a Romanian footballer who played as a forward.[1]

Club career

Turcu was born on 9 August 1960 in Slobozia, Argeș, Romania and began playing junior-level football at Argeș Pitești.[1][2][3] He made his Divizia A debut on 11 June 1978 when coach Florin Halagian sent him in the 60th minute and two minutes later he scored his side's goal after an assist from Nicolae Dobrin in a 2–1 away loss to Bihor Oradea.[1][2][4] In the 1978–79 season he helped Argeș win the title, coach Halagian using him in only seven games as he had to compete in the offence with players such as Dobrin, Marin Radu and Doru Nicolae.[1][5] In the following season they got past AEK Athens in the first round of the 1979–80 European Cup, the team being eliminated in the following one by title holders and eventual winners, Nottingham Forest.[1][6] He scored his only goal in European competitions in a 4–0 win over APOEL Nicosia in the 1981–82 UEFA Cup season.[1][7]

In the middle of the 1982–83 season, Turcu left Argeș to play for one year at Steaua București.[1][2] In the middle of the following season he arrived at Dinamo București, helping the team win The Double at the end of it, scoring two goals in the 11 league matches coach Nicolae Dumitru used him.[1][5] However, he did play in the 2–1 win in the Cupa României final over his former team, Steaua.[8] He also played with The Red Dogs in the 1983–84 European Cup campaign, eliminating Dinamo Minsk in the quarter-finals, reaching the semi-finals where they were defeated by Liverpool.[1][2][9] Afterwards, Turcu went for two years to Olt Scornicești, then returned for a second spell at Steaua.[1][2] After playing only five games in the first half of the 1986–87 season, he returned to Scornicești, but Steaua managed to win The Double without him.[1][2][5][10] Turcu made his last Divizia A appearance on 20 June 1989 in a 2–1 home loss to Victoria București, totaling 252 matches with 42 goals in the competition and 11 games with one goal in European competitions.[1]

In the following years he played for several clubs, first in Divizia B at UTA Arad.[1][2] Subsequently, he moved to Nistrul Chișinău for the 1991 Soviet First League season, afterwards spending one season at Nemzeti Bajnokság II side, Szarvasi Vasas.[1][2][11] From 1992 until 1996 he came back for a third spell at Olt Scornicești, being a player-coach in the Romanian lower leagues.[1][2]

After he ended his playing career, Turcu talked about his achievements, praising former Argeș teammate, Nicolae Dobrin:"I've always said it and I'm happy to say it now. I'm proud to have carried his boots and bag. Nowadays, that doesn't happen anymore, to recognize a player by value. I carried his bag out of respect and never bothered to do so. I am also proud to have played alongside Dobrin but also with Balaci at FC Olt and Hagi at Steaua!"[3]

International career

In 1982, Turcu played in seven friendly matches for Romania, making his debut on 24 March under coach Mircea Lucescu in a 4–1 loss to Belgium.[12][13] He scored his only goal in a 4–0 victory against Japan, a team against which he also played his last game for the national team, a 3–1 victory.[12][14][15]

International goals

Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first. "Score" column indicates the score after each Viorel Turcu goal.[14]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 15 July 1982 Stadionul Areni, Suceava, Romania  Japan 2–0 4–0 Friendly

Managerial career

In 1992, Turcu started coaching at Olt Scornicești, the spell lasting until 1996.[2] He worked only for teams in the Romanian lower leagues such as Cimentul Fieni, Fulgerul Bragadiru or Argeșul Mihăilești.[2][3][16]

Death

In his later life, Turcu suffered from diabetes, which necessitated the amputation of his legs.[2][3] He died on 29 November 2020, at the age of 60, after experiencing a heart attack in his sleep.[17]

Honours

Argeș Pitești

Dinamo București

Steaua București

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Viorel Turcu at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Viața de film a atacantului care și-a pierdut copilul, soția și picioarele: șantajat de Dinamo, amenințat de Steaua, talent risipit și anecdote cu Dobrin, Lăcătuș, Ceaușescu și Ilie Dumitrescu" [The film life of the striker who lost his child, his wife and his legs: blackmailed by Dinamo, threatened by Steaua, wasted talent and anecdotes with Dobrin, Lăcătuș, Ceaușescu and Ilie Dumitrescu] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "VIDEO Primul beneficiar al fondului de ajutoare al LPF. Viorel Turcu a primit 10.000 de lei pentru proteze noi" [TVIDEO The first beneficiary of the LPF aid fund. Viorel Turcu received 10,000 lei for new prostheses] (in Romanian). Digisport.ro. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  4. ^ "FC Bihor Oradea vs FC Arges 2-1". Labtof. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  6. ^ "43 de ani de la meciul dintre FC Argeș și Nottingham Forest" [43 years since the match between FC Argeș and Nottingham Forest] (in Romanian). Jurnaluldearges.ro. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
    "24 octombrie 1979: Argeșul a dat piept cu Nottingham Forest, campioana Europei" [October 24, 1979: Argeș played against Nottingham Forest, the European champions] (in Romanian). Romaniansoccer.ro. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
    "FC Argeș – Nottingham Forest 1-2 (Cupa Campionilor Europeni, 7 noiembrie 1979)" [FC Arges – Nottingham Forest 1-2 (European Champions Cup, November 7, 1979)] (in Romanian). Tikitaka.ro. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
    "Viorel Turcu. Champions League 1979/1980". WorldFootball. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Acum 41 de ani spulberam pe APOEL Nicosia" [41 years ago we destroyed APOEL Nicosia] (in Romanian). Argesfc.ro. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
    "Viorel Turcu. UEFA Cup 1981/1982". WorldFootball. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Romanian Cup – Season 1983–1984". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Dinamo marchează 30 de ani de la semifinala cu Liverpool din Cupa Campionilor" [Dinamo marks 30 years since the semi-final with Liverpool in the Champions Cup] (in Romanian). Digisport.ro. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
    "Viorel Turcu. Champions League 1983/1984". WorldFootball. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Romanian Cup – Season 1986–1987". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Viorel Turcu". Magyarfutball. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Viorel Turcu". European Football. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Belgium - Romania 4:1". European Football. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Romania - Japan 4:0". European Football. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Romania - Japan 3:1". European Football. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  16. ^ "Drama lui Viorel Turcu: "Le era frică să nu mor pe bancă"" [Viorel Turcu's drama: "They were afraid that I would die on the bench"] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 21 September 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
    "Cimentul Fieni Două promovări în Divizia B" [Cimentul Fieni Two promotions in Division B] (in Romanian). Ziardambovita.ro. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Viorel Turcu, fostul campion cu FC Argeș, Steaua și Dinamo, a decedat la 60 de ani" [Viorel Turcu, former champion with FC Argeș, Steaua and Dinamo, died at 60 years] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
    "A murit Viorel Turcu, fostul mare fotbalist de la Steaua! Reacția tulburătoare a lui Helmut Duckadam, cel mai bun prieten al său: "L-a găsit mort în pat! A făcut infarct"" [Viorel Turcu, the former great footballer from Steaua, died! The disturbing reaction of Helmut Duckadam, his best friend: "He found him dead in bed! He had a heart attack"] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  • Viorel Turcu at WorldFootball.net
  • Viorel Turcu at National-Football-Teams.com
  • Viorel Turcu at Labtof.ro
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