Helsinki: Romania bounced back in style from their home draw with Hungary, outclassing Finland for their second successive away Euro 2016 win on Tuesday, but Victor Piturca’s third spell as his country’s coach appears to be over.
Media reports say the 58-year-old, who guided Romania to the European Championship finals in 2000 and 2008 during his previous reigns, is close to taking the coaching job at Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad.
“If something impossible to turn down comes up, maybe I’ll leave,” Piturca told reporters. “There are talks. The president of the (Romanian Football Federation, Razvan Burleanu) will be the first one to find out if I stay or not.” Burleanu said: “We’ll have a discussion in Bucharest and we’ll see if Piturca will be the coach against Northern Ireland (on Nov 14).”
Former Steaua Bucharest coach Laurentiu Reghecampf, who now coaches Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, also provided a clear indication that erstwhile Romania striker Piturca will take over at Al Ittihad.
“It’s great, we’ll meet twice this season,” Reghecampf told local media.
Eight-times national champions Al Ittihad are second in the domestic league with 18 points from six matches, below Al Nassr on goal difference. Reghecampf’s Al Hilal are third on 16.
If Piturca leaves, it will be on a high. Bogdan Stancu scored twice in the second half to seal the 2-0 victory at the Olympiastadion in Helsinki, a game in which Romania captain Razvan Rat won his 100th international cap.
Pundits and local media praised “tactically intelligent” Piturca, who made several changes from the starting line-up that managed only a 1-1 draw in a highly-charged match at home to neighbours Hungary on Saturday.
Piturca even decided to leave Raul Rusescu, who scored the only goal in the Hungary match, on the bench, replacing him with Stancu.REUTERS
