Viorel Mateianu was a Romanian football player and coach. Mateianu was born in Lipănești, Prahova and died in Bucharest. He is renowned as a coach for his interesting football experiment, Morișca, in which the strikers and midfielders swap places during the game. Mateianu was experimental throughout his coaching career, in the process revolutionizing Romanian football. To him a football team was before anything else a family.
Playing career
Mateianu was one of the finest playmakers of Romanian football during the 1960s, and was also noted for fair play during matches. After playing for Flacăra Boldești and then Progresul București as a youth, Mateianu made his debut at the senior level in 1957, aged 19, when he was enrolled in Progresul's first squad. After just one year he signed to Știința Cluj, returning to Progresul in 1963. In 1970 Mateianu was allowed by the communist authorities to play in Western Europe. He was signed by the German team TUS Wannsee Berlin in the same year, and later transferred to Alemannia Aachen. He retired from professional football in 1973. Mateianu won six caps for Romania, scoring twice.
Coaching career
Just a few months after returning from Germany, Mateianu was given the role of head coach at his former club, Progresul București, now playing in Liga II. His first triumph as a coach came in 1976, when Progresul were promoted back to Liga I, but having failed to keep the team in the top league he was sacked in 1977. After leaving Progresul, Mateianu returned to Liga II, taking over at FC Baia Mare. After just one season, his team was promoted to the top league and then enjoyed its golden era, finishing fourth in Liga I in 1978-79 and 1979-80. However, Mateianu was sacked during the 1980-81 season after a series of poor results. After another short spell with Progresul in 1981, he was hired by Petrolul Ploiești for the 1982-83 season and then by Progresul Brăila in the following season. In 1985, he returned to Liga I after being requested by Jiul Petroșani, but was soon sacked for poor results. Returning to Bucharest, he took over Danubiana București for a season, before being signed by FC Bihor in 1986. In 1987, he coached Drobeta-Turnu Severin for one season, before spending his last season as a coach, 1988–89, at FC Bihor.
