Scouting Romania

Emil Sandoi

Romania U21 will play against Israel U21 on Wednesday, in Tel Aviv, hours before the senior teams will meet in Timisoara. Here is the list of players called-up by Emil Sandoi:

• Goalkeepers: Cezar Lungu (Steaua II), Silviu Lung jr. (Universitatea Craiova)
• Defenders: Alexandru Matel (Farul Constanta), Stefan Barboianu (Universitatea Craiova), Cornel Rapa (Otelul Galati), Paul Papp (FC Vaslui), Florin Gardos (Concordia Chiajna), Radu Barbu (Universitatea Craiova), Silviu Ilie (OtelulGalati)
• Midfielders: Gabriel Torje (Dinamo), Andrei Ionescu (Steaua/Politehnica Iasi), Calin Cristea (Unirea Alba Iulia), Constantin Gangioveanu (Universitatea Craiova), Razvan Ochirosii (Steaua/Otelul Galati)
• Forwards: Sabrin Sburlea (FC Brasov), Mihai Costea (Universitatea Craiova), Liviu Ganea (Dinamo/Astra Ploiesti), Alexandru Ionita (Rapid), Raul Rusescu (Unirea Urziceni), Ioan Hora (Gloria Bistrita)

If this is indeed just a test ahead of the next official matches, than coach Emil Sandoi proves yet again a frightening lack of vision and guts! A simple overview points out the following facts:

• Sandoi has only one left back in the squad, Silviu Ilie, and, instead of looking for someone in the lower leagues, someone at least with potential to come from behind, he decided to complain in a press conference about the lack of options for this position!
• There is only one natural central midfielder among these 20 names! Andrei Ionescu, who’s an attacking midfielder. Ok, let’s say that he will play a defender as a defensive midfielder, but, apart from Barboianu – a natural right back – not one of the four central defenders, Papp, Gardos, Radu and Rapa, has ever played on such a position. Even if one of them is a solution, there is no reserve/backup? Instead, he has three left midfielders…
• 6 (six) forwards? Ok, all of them are interesting, but, in case you have enough options, shouldn’t you choose those who are in the best shape? Alexandru Ionita and Mihai Costea aren’t. Yet they occupy places that should have been offered to new faces, selected by Sandoi, for the qualifying campaign. This is part of his job, right?