 Dridea in 1966 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Virgil Sebastian Dridea | ||
| Date of birth | 17 November 1940 | ||
| Place of birth | Ploiești, Romania | ||
| Date of death | 29 May 2022 (aged 81) | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1950–1958 | Petrolul Ploiești | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1958–1968 | Petrolul Ploiești | 82 | (12) |
| 1959–1961 | → Știința București (loan) | ||
| 1968–1970 | Metalul Plopeni | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1970–1976 | Metalul Plopeni (assistant) | ||
| 1977–1983 | Metalul Plopeni | ||
| 1983–1985 | Petro do Huambo | ||
| 1985–1988 | Prahova Ploiești | ||
| 1988–1992 | Petrolul Ploiești | ||
| 1992–1993 | Syria | ||
| 1994–1995 | Dacia Unirea Brăila | ||
| 1995–1996 | Metalul Plopeni | ||
| 1996–1997 | Al-Jaish | ||
| 1997–1999 | Midia Năvodari | ||
| 1999–2000 | Petrolul Ploiești | ||
| 2000–2001 | Midia Năvodari | ||
| 2001–2002 | Cimentul Fieni | ||
| 2002–2003 | Chindia Târgoviște | ||
| 2003–2004 | Metalul Plopeni | ||
| 2004 | Petrolul Ploiești | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Virgil Dridea (17 November 1940 – 29 May 2022), also known as Puiu Dridea, was a Romanian football player and manager.[1]
Playing career
[edit]Dridea was born on 17 November 1940 in Ploiești, Romania and began playing junior-level football at local club, Petrolul where his first coach was Mihai Cristache, later working with Emil Avasilichioaie.[1] On 24 August 1958 he made his senior debut under coach Ilie Oană in a 3–0 Divizia A victory against Jiul Petroșani, that being his only appearance in that season as the club won the title.[1][2] From 1959 until 1961 he played for Știința București in Divizia B.[1] Afterwards he returned to Petrolul where he won the 1962–63 Cupa României.[1] Dridea won another title in the 1965–66 season where he was used by coach Constantin Cernăianu in 18 matches in which he scored six goals, including a goal from a corner kick in a 1–0 victory against Rapid București.[1][2][3][4][5] He also played two games for The Yellow Wolves in the first round of the 1966–67 European Cup against Liverpool which included a 3–1 victory, but they did not manage to qualify to the next round.[1][6] His last Divizia A game took place on 3 September 1968 in Petrolul's 3–1 victory against Jiul Petroșani, having a total of 82 matches with 12 goals scored in the competition.[1][3] Afterwards, Dridea went to play for two years in Divizia C at Metalul Plopeni where he ended his career.[1][3]
Managerial career
[edit]Dridea started coaching at Metalul Plopeni as an assistant from 1970 until 1977 under head coaches Gheorghe Bărbulescu, Marian Alexandru, Nicolae Marinescu and Adalbert Marosi.[1][3] He was named head coach of Metalul in the second half of the 1976–77 Divizia B season, leading them until 1983.[1][3] During this time the team was relegated to Divizia C but he stayed with the club, helping it get promoted back to the second league after one season.[1][3] In 1983, Dridea went to work abroad in Angola at Petro do Huambo until 1985, then he returned to Romania at Prahova Ploiești which he led for three years in Divizia B.[1][3] In 1988 he took charge of Petrolul Ploiești, taking it from Divizia B to Divizia A and later to the 1990–91 UEFA Cup where they were eliminated by Anderlecht.[1][3][7] In 1992 he had his second experience abroad going to coach for one year the Syrian national team.[8] Afterwards he went back to Romania at Dacia Unirea Brăila with whom he earned a second place in the 1994–95 Divizia B season.[1][3] In the following years he went for a second spell at Metalul Plopeni, had a second experience in Syria at Al-Jaish and earned another second Divizia B place with Midia Năvodari.[1][3] Dridea returned to Divizia A football during his second spell at Petrolul in the 1999–2000 season in which he earned two historical victories against Steaua București, a 5–1 at home and a 4–1 on the Ghencea stadium, and also a 4–2 home victory against Mircea Lucescu's Rapid București who were the title holders.[1][3][9] Afterwards he went to coach in the lower leagues, starting with a second spell at Midia, then going to Cimentul Fieni, Chindia Târgoviște and for a third spell at Plopeni.[1][3] He retired after a third spell at Petrolul which took place from July until December 2004.[1][3] Dridea has a total of 134 games managed in Divizia A, all of them at Petrolul, consisting of 58 victories, 23 draws and 53 losses.[3][10]
Personal life
[edit]Dridea's brother, Mircea was also a footballer and a manager, they played together at Petrolul Ploiești, winning two Divizia A titles.[1][2][4] They were opponents as managers in the 1981–82 Divizia B season when Virgil coached Metalul Plopeni and Mircea coached Petrolul.[1][2][4][11]
Death
[edit]Dridea died on 29 May 2022 at age 81.[1]
Honours
[edit]Player
[edit]Petrolul Ploiești
Manager
[edit]Metalul Plopeni
Petrolul Ploiești
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Aniversare pentru "Puiu" Dridea!" [Anniversary for "Puiu" Dridea!]. Ziarulprahova.ro. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
"A murit Virgil Dridea, gloria Petrolului: două titluri și o confruntare legendară cu Liverpool în palmares" [Virgil Dridea, the glory of Petrol, died: two titles and a legendary confrontation with Liverpool in his record] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
"Virgil Dridea s-a stins din viață. A cucerit două titluri cu Petrolul și a învins-o pe Liverpool în anul 1966" [Virgil Dridea has passed away. He won two titles with Petrol and beat Liverpool in 1966] (in Romanian). Digisport.ro. 29 May 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
"A murit Virgil Dridea, o legendă a clubului Petrolul! "A părăsit această lume, mergând să refacă echipa din "ceruri""" [Virgil Dridea, a legend of the Petrolul club, died! "He left this world, going to restore the team from the "heavens""] (in Romanian). Liga2.prosport.ro. 29 May 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
"A murit Virgil Dridea, fost campion al României la fotbal: "A părăsit această lume, mergând să refacă echipa din ceruri"" [Virgil Dridea, former Romanian football champion, died: "He left this world, going to restore the team from heaven"] (in Romanian). Antena3.ro. 29 May 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
"Pagini memorabile din istoria foltbalului prahovean personalități ale sportului "la Plopeni" – Tudor Manolache și Virgil Dridea (IV)" [Memorable pages from the history of Prahova football sports personalities "from Plopeni" - Tudor Manolache and Virgil Dridea (IV)] (in Romanian). Antena3.ro. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023. - ^ a b c d e "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Ei ne-au părăsit în 2022! Cele mai importante nume din fotbalul românesc care au murit anul trecut" [They left us in 2022! The most important names in Romanian football who died last year] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ a b c "Fratii Dridea - cei mai mari executanti de lovituri libere si cornere din Romania" [Dridea Brothers - the best free kick and corner performers in Romania]. doarpetrolul.ro. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ "Virgil Dridea: "Am decis meciul din '66 cu un gol din corner" + Cum l-a învins pe Mircea Lucescu" [Virgil Dridea: "I decided the match in '66 with a goal from a corner" + How he beat Mircea Lucescu] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ "Petrolul 66, 53 de ani de la victoria cu Liverpool. Supraviețuitorii succesului, sărbătoriți la Ploiești" [Petrolul 66, 53 years since the victory with Liverpool. The survivors of success, celebrated in Ploiesti] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
"55 de ani de la istorica victorie a Petrolului cu Liverpooli" [55 years since the historic victory of Petrolul with Liverpool] (in Romanian). Wesport.ro. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2023. - ^ "Virgil Dridea, fostul antrenor al Petrolului, cel care i-a zdrobit în 1999 pe roş-albaştri: "Steaua e ciuca bătăilor"" [Virgil Dridea, former coach of Petrolul, who crushed "the Red and Blues" in 1999: "Steaua is beaten by everyone"]. libertatea.ro. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ Mubarak, Hassanin (21 August 2019). "Syria National Team Coaches". RSSSF. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- ^ "Cea mai mare umilinta a Stelei dupa Revolutie: 2-9 cu Petrolul! Reghe se afla pe teren! Amintiri DUREROASE pentru stelisti!" [Steaua's greatest humiliation after the Revolution: 2-9 with Petrolul! Reghe was on the field! PAINFUL memories for Steaua fans!] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
"Amintiri negre. Steliştii au fost umiliţi de Petrolul acum 12 ani!" [Dark memories. Steaua was humiliated by Petrolul 12 years ago!] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2023. - ^ "Virgil Dridea manager profile". Labtof. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Mircea Dridea" (in Romanian). Doarpetrolul.ro. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
External links
[edit]- Virgil Dridea at WorldFootball.net