Florian Radu Explained

Florian Radu
Birth Date:8 April 1920
Birth Place:Bucharest, Romania
Position:Forward
Years1:1938–1939
Years2:1939–1947
Clubs2:Rapid București
Caps2:47
Goals2:13
Years3:1948
Clubs3:Szentlőrinci
Caps3:10
Goals3:2
Years4:1949
Clubs4:AS Roma
Caps4:5
Goals4:2
Years5:1949–1950
Clubs5:Cosenza
Caps5:19
Goals5:5
Years6:1950–1951
Clubs6:Marsala
Caps6:26
Goals6:5
Totalcaps:107
Totalgoals:27
Nationalyears1:1942
Nationalteam1:Romania
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:1
Manageryears1:1956–1957
Managerclubs1:Stade Athletique Spinalien

Florian Radu (8 April 1920 – 10 November 1991) was a Romanian footballer who played as a forward.

He won three consecutive Cupa României with his hometown club, Rapid București.[1] When the communists took over Romania, Radu moved abroad, firstly in Hungary at Szentlőrinci, afterwards in Italy at AS Roma, Cosenza and Marsala.[1] Radu has earned only one cap for Romania in a 2–2 with Croatia, managing to also score.[2] [3] He served as head coach for Stade Athletique Spinalien in France.[4]

Club career

Florian Radu was born on 8 April 1920 in Bucharest, Romania, starting to play football at local club, Metaloglobus in the Romanian lower leagues.[5] In 1939 he went to play for Rapid București, making his Divizia A debut on on 15 October in a 3–2 home win over Ripensia Timișoara.[1] [5] At the end of the season, Radu won his first trophy, the 1939–40 Cupa României, coach Ștefan Auer using him in one of the four games against Venus București from the final.[1] [6] [7] In the following two seasons he would win two more Cupa României under the guidance of coach Iuliu Baratky, opening the score in each of the finals, a 4–3 victory against Unirea Tricolor București in the one from 1941 and a 7–1 over Universitatea Cluj in the one from 1942.[1] [8] [9] On 8 June 1947, Radu made his last Divizia A appearance, scoring a brace in a 10–1 victory against FC Craiova, having a total of 39 games with eight goals scored in the competition.[1] [5]

In 1948, as Romania was becoming communist, he moved to Hungary at Szentlőrinci, making his Nemzeti Bajnokság I debut on 15 February under coach János Nagy in a 3–2 home loss in front of Csepel.[10] [11] In the following round he scored his first goal in a 10–3 away loss in front of Újpest, then on 5 June he scored the only goal of a victory against MTK Budapest.[10]

Afterwards he went in Italy, having offers from Lazio Roma and Novara but eventually signing with AS Roma who was desperately looking for a forward after failing to sign László Kubala.[1] [5] [12] [13] Radu made his Serie A debut on 13 February 1949 under coach Luigi Brunella who used him all the minutes in a 0–0 with Bari.[13] [14] He scored his first goal on 30 April in a 2–1 loss in front of Novara, then on 8 May he opened the score from a penalty in a 3–1 victory against Pro Patria which helped the team earn important points that would help them avoid relegation.[1] [12] [13] [15]

Radu would spend the last two years of his career in Serie C at Cosenza and Marsala, retiring in 1951.[1] [5] [12]

International career

Florian Radu played one friendly game at international level for Romania on 11 October 1942 when coach Ion Lăpușneanu used him all the minutes in a 2–2 with Croatia in which he scored one goal.[2] [16]

International goals

Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Radu goal.[2] [16]

Managerial career

Florian Radu coached French side Stade Athletique Spinalien from 1956 until 1957.[1] [4] [5]

Death

Florian Radu died on 10 November 1991 at age 71.[1] [5]

Honours

Rapid București

1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42[6] [8] [9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Românii care au fugit din țară după Al Doilea Război Mondial și au jucat în Serie A. Theplaymaker.ro. Romanian . Romanians who fled the country after the Second World War and played in Serie A. 3 January 2018. 23 October 2024.
  2. Web site: Radu Florian profile. European Football. 10 November 2021.
  3. Web site: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Radu Siminiceanu. Romania National Team 1940–1949 – Details.
  4. Web site: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Erik Garin . France – Trainers of First and Second Division Clubs . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20080531102336/http://www.rsssf.com/players/trainers-fran-clubs.html . 31 May 2008 .
  5. Web site: Cum a fugit rapidistul Radu Florian de comuniști. Dorit de Lazio, a semnat cu AS Roma!. As.ro. Romanian . How did Rapid player Radu Florian fled from the communists. Wanted by Lazio, signed with AS Roma!. 15 July 2021. 23 October 2024.
  6. Web site: Romanian Cup – 1939–1940. RomanianSoccer. 23 October 2024.
  7. Web site: FINALE INCREDIBILE: Rapid-Venus din 1940 s-a jucat de 3 ori!. Sport.ro. Romanian . INCREDIBLE FINALS: Rapid-Venus from 1940 played 3 times!. 12 June 2009 . 23 October 2024.
  8. Web site: Romanian Cup – 1940–1941. RomanianSoccer. 23 October 2024.
  9. Web site: Romanian Cup – 1941–1942. RomanianSoccer. 23 October 2024.
  10. Web site: Magyarfutball.hu. Florian Radu profile. 23 October 2024.
  11. Web site: Magyarfutball.hu. Szentlőrinci AC - MTK Csepeli 2 : 3. 23 October 2024.
  12. Web site: AS ROMA 8 maggio 1949: Florian Radu, il gol dell’illusione del vice-Kubala. Asromalive.it. Italian . AS ROMA 8 May 1949: Florian Radu, the goal of Kubala's vice-illusion. 8 May 2015. 23 October 2024.
  13. Web site: WorldFootball. Florian Radu. Serie A 1948/1949. 23 October 2024.
  14. Web site: WorldFootball. AS Roma 0:0 AS Bari. 23 October 2024.
  15. Web site: WorldFootball. AS Roma 3:1 Pro Patria. 23 October 2024.
  16. Web site: Romania 2–2 Croatia. European Football. 23 October 2024.