When talking about the Romania national football team, the first two names that spring to mind are Haji and Jordenescu. The star and coach, who in the 1994 World Cup in the USA led the Romanian team to its greatest achievements, beating Argentina and qualifying for the quarterfinals. Almost 30 years have passed and on Saturday evening, when the Romanian national team takes on Israel, coach Jordenescu will stand on the lines and the attacking star will answer to the name Haji. But long live the huge difference.
Yannis Haji, 24, bears no mention of his legendary father Georgian, Romania's greatest player of all time. Haji Junior is now a substitute player for Alaves, and coach Eduard Jordenescu can only dream of replicating the achievements of his father, Angel Jordenescu. After lifting Steaua Bucharest to the final of the European Champions Cup in 1989 and the team to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, he guided them to third place in the world rankings in 1997.
Yes, there were days when Romania was one of the best teams in the world, never missed a World Cup in the '90s, whose players starred for the best teams in Europe. Haji played for Real Madrid and Barcelona. Defender Gika Popescu wore the uniform of Tottenham and Barca, striker Florin Raducio scored for AC Milan and defender Dan Petrescu played for Chelsea.
Georgi Haji. The son is struggling to reach his level, Photo: Reuters
Today Romania is a mediocre and grey team. In the FIFA rankings, it ranks 48th, behind Panama and Costa Rica. In her last major tournament, Euro 2016, she finished last in the qualifying group with one point. Romania's last World Cup qualification was in 1998. Since then, it has failed six times in a row. After the golden generation of the '90s retired, no worthy successors arrived. And this is reflected in the squad that was called up for the game against Israel.
Eleven of the 11 players come from the domestic league, but none of the 26 Legionnaires come from a top European team. Five come from Italy, but two from the second division and three from bottom teams in the first division (Genoa and Empoli). The same goes for the two representatives from the Spanish league, who are bench players in Rayo Vallecano and Alaves.
Yannis Haji was supposed to be the big star of the current generation. Four years ago, he excelled in the young team that reached the semi-finals of the Euros, where they lost 4-2 to Spain. By the time he was 18 he moved to Fiorentina, but Serie A was big on him. The next stop outside Romania was Belgian Genk, but this episode was also brief.
In January 2020, Haji moved to Scottish Rangers, scoring 16 goals in 99 games, and two years ago was named Young Player of the Year. But then he tore his cruciate ligament, underwent surgery, and even when he came back he barely played. Last week, Haji moved on loan to Alaves, Spain's newcomer. On Saturday, he came on as an 87th-minute substitute in his team's win over Valencia, and at least for the near future he should not be in the line-up.
Jordenescu Jr. Will it come out of nothing?, Photo: AP
A point worth a euro?
True, the current team bears no resemblance to the great Romania of yesteryear. She's not even close to that. But Israel (ranked 76th in the world) is the last team that can take its opponent lightly on Saturday night at the National Stadium in Bucharest. Despite an unconvincing performance in its four games of the campaign, Romania is ahead of Israel in the home standings by a point, after finishing 2-2 away against Switzerland, who will almost certainly finish in first place. Israel was defeated 3-0 when it hosted Switzerland.
The Swiss completely dominated the game a month and a half ago. Until the 89th minute, they led 0-2 from a clutch of Zaki Amadoni. The goal kick record was 4:16. But then, out of nowhere, Romania equalized. Midfielder Olympio Morotsan cooked twice in four minutes for substitute striker Valentin Mikhaila, who made it 2-2. For Switzerland it was a minor blow, but for Romania it was a critical point, which came out of nowhere, three days after the 0-0 Against Kosovo - a point that could be the difference between second and third place, between a rise to the euro and another failure.
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