Romania Hagi does it his way
Eight years after he founded his Academy and entered a team in the third tier of Romanian football, Gheorghe Hagi’s club are Liga 1 champions. Viitorul Constanta will enter the qualifying stage of next season’s Champions League.
When the former Barcelona and Real Madrid great first told people about his plans to start a football revolution in Romania, not even he believed success would happen so quickly.
A 1-0 win over CFR Cluj on the last day of the season made sure Viitorul were champions after a fierce title race against local powerhouse FCSB – the club formerly known as Steaua. Standing on the pitch, and in a trembling voice, Hagi said: “I’ve never thought this was possible. We are living historical moments and we should enjoy, we deserve to celebrate. We are the best in Romania, now we want to be the best in Europe.”
The Romanian title is only Hagi’s second major achievement in football management, the 52-yearold having only won one previous trophy: the Turkish Cup, when he was in charge at Galatasaray in 2005.
But memories of failure and frustration on the bench at Gala, Bursaspor, Steaua and the Romanian national side are now things of the past. Hagi believes there is no limit to his or his team’s progress. “I played with the best,” he says. “I was among them almost every day of my playing career. I trained with them every day, I know how they think, how they see football. I don’t feel inferior in any way!
“I now want to compete against Guardiola and Conte and maybe even beat them.”
After an unpleasant managerial experience with Steaua and its eccentric owner Gigi Becali, Hagi decided to do things his way. And what better way to apply your methods unhindered than by being the owner-manager of a team?
He invested most of the money he made as a player in his dream, with a vision of creating a team that would train, think and play his way. “I have a technical concept,” he says. “It’s easy, nothing complicated, but it needed time, passion, talent and perseverance from us all inside the Academy.
“I also have to thank my wife. She agreed to my wish to invest our money in this team. So, she deserves big credit for everything that happened here.” More than 9million and various bank loans left a hole in Hagi’s accounts, but as his chairman at the club, Cristian Bivolaru, explains: “The money we made from transfers or TV broadcasting deals has been returned to the Academy as investments.
“We always want better conditions for our players.”
Built on farmland, the Hagi Academy is home to more than 270 players, aged between six and 18, who train and play on eight pitches.
Around 100 people work daily so the kids are offered the best conditions to become professionals. And the fact that almost 75 per cent of the Viitorul squad that won the title are home-grown proves Hagi’s system works.
“We are the youngest champion team in Europe,” he says. “Nobody is as young as we are and still first in their league.
“It’s no problem if my best players leave, I have others coming through. I’m a hunter, I can spot quality players.”
Hagi wants to set the trend in Romania like he did in his playing days, with his club serving as motivation and inspiration in a rotten, dirty domestic football environment.
“We’re not respected in Europe anymore,” he says of his homeland. “We must change that. We have the talent, it’s in us.
“It’s only about training our best qualities and believing in ourselves. Romania can be great again!”