Cătălin Cursaru
Encyclopedia
Cătălin Cursaru is a retired Romania
n footballer.
At his peak, he was considered amongst the best strikers in Romania, displaying a vast array of skills: dribble, shot accuracy, aerial ability and off-the-ball movements; he is best known for his FCM Bacău
spell, where he played five full seasons.
Over the course of seven Liga I
seasons, Cursaru amassed totals of 167 games and 51 goals. However, he has never appeared for the Romanian national team
.
, Prahova
, Cursaru came through the youth ranks of local Astra Ploieşti, going on to finish his sporting formation with the Divizia C
team Chimia Brazi
. After one season in Divizia C
, he made his Divizia A
debut in 2000–01, against Steaua
on 7 August 2000 (scoring twice in the process).
, but he played no matches, because he was a dispute subject between Bacău
and his former club Astra. The striker was eligible to play, starting August 2000, and soon after he scored his first two goals in his Liga I
debut. He finished his first top flight season with 15 goals.
In his second season, he partnered Cristian Ciocoiu
, and he netted 17 goals (competition best) but his reference point, was when he scored a scissor kick against Dinamo
, and his goal was selected "Play of the Day" by CNN
. At the end of the season, German side Hertha Berlin offered $1,800,000, but Sechelariu asked $300,000 more, and the negotiations collapsed. To not be criticised by Cursaru, Sechelariu raised his player's wage up to $10,000 per month. However, after the transfer failure, the player never regained his form and confidence. In the next three years, he produced only 17 goals, in 75 matches. In 2003, he impressed in a trial for the Norwegian side SK Brann, but once again, Sechelariu's demands, made the transaction collapsing.
In total, Cursaru scored 49 goals in the shirt of FCM Bacău in five seasons, leaving the club in July 2005 after he refused to extend his contract.
and Tricolorul Breaza, and without any offer for almost a year, he officially retired in mid-2011 from professional football.
Statistics accurate as of match played 15 October 2009
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n footballer.
At his peak, he was considered amongst the best strikers in Romania, displaying a vast array of skills: dribble, shot accuracy, aerial ability and off-the-ball movements; he is best known for his FCM Bacău
FCM Bacau
FCM Bacău is a Romanian football club, founded in 1950, currently playing in the Liga II. It's the best placed Moldovan team in the Liga I All-Time Table, ranking 9th with 42 seasons played.-History:...
spell, where he played five full seasons.
Over the course of seven Liga I
Liga I
Liga I, or in full, due to sponsorship reasons, Liga I Bergenbier, is the top division of the Romanian football league system. Before the 2006/2007 season, it was called Divizia A, but the name had to be changed following the discovery that someone else had registered the trademark "Divizia A"...
seasons, Cursaru amassed totals of 167 games and 51 goals. However, he has never appeared for the Romanian national team
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
.
Club career
Born in PloieştiPloiesti
Ploiești is the county seat of Prahova County and lies in the historical region of Wallachia in Romania. The city is located north of Bucharest....
, Prahova
Prahova
The word Prahova can refer to these places and features in Romania:* Prahova River* Prahova Valley* Prahova County, named after the Prahova River** Prahova Ploieşti, a football club based in Ploieşti** Stadionul Prahova, a football-only stadium in Ploieşti...
, Cursaru came through the youth ranks of local Astra Ploieşti, going on to finish his sporting formation with the Divizia C
Liga III
Liga III is the third level of the Romanian football league system. Its name was changed from Divizia C into Liga III before the start of the 2006-07 season.-Relegation:...
team Chimia Brazi
Chimia Brazi
Chimia Brazi is a Romanian football team from Prahova county founded in 1968 by the Brazi oil refinery. They currently play in the Liga III.-Honours:Liga III:*Winners : 1977–78, 2005–06*Runners-up : 1980–81, 1983–84, 2004–05, 2010–11...
. After one season in Divizia C
Liga III
Liga III is the third level of the Romanian football league system. Its name was changed from Divizia C into Liga III before the start of the 2006-07 season.-Relegation:...
, he made his Divizia A
Liga I
Liga I, or in full, due to sponsorship reasons, Liga I Bergenbier, is the top division of the Romanian football league system. Before the 2006/2007 season, it was called Divizia A, but the name had to be changed following the discovery that someone else had registered the trademark "Divizia A"...
debut in 2000–01, against Steaua
Steaua Bucuresti
Fotbal Club Steaua București is a Romanian professional football club based in Bucharest. They are the most successful Romanian football team in European competitions as well in the Romanian Liga I . They became the first East European team to win the UEFA Champions League being victorious in the...
on 7 August 2000 (scoring twice in the process).
FCM Bacău
On 26 January 2000, he signed for FCM BacăuFCM Bacau
FCM Bacău is a Romanian football club, founded in 1950, currently playing in the Liga II. It's the best placed Moldovan team in the Liga I All-Time Table, ranking 9th with 42 seasons played.-History:...
, but he played no matches, because he was a dispute subject between Bacău
FCM Bacau
FCM Bacău is a Romanian football club, founded in 1950, currently playing in the Liga II. It's the best placed Moldovan team in the Liga I All-Time Table, ranking 9th with 42 seasons played.-History:...
and his former club Astra. The striker was eligible to play, starting August 2000, and soon after he scored his first two goals in his Liga I
Liga I
Liga I, or in full, due to sponsorship reasons, Liga I Bergenbier, is the top division of the Romanian football league system. Before the 2006/2007 season, it was called Divizia A, but the name had to be changed following the discovery that someone else had registered the trademark "Divizia A"...
debut. He finished his first top flight season with 15 goals.
In his second season, he partnered Cristian Ciocoiu
Cristian Ciocoiu
Cristian Ciocoiu is a former Romanian professional football player. The 1993-1994 Second League appearances made for FCM Bacău are unavailable.-External links:*...
, and he netted 17 goals (competition best) but his reference point, was when he scored a scissor kick against Dinamo
Dinamo Bucuresti
Fotbal Club Dinamo Bucureşti is a Romanian professional football club based in Bucharest. Dinamo is one of the two most successful football teams in Romania, having won 18 Romanian Liga I titles, 12 Romanian Cups and 1 Romanian Supercup....
, and his goal was selected "Play of the Day" by CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
. At the end of the season, German side Hertha Berlin offered $1,800,000, but Sechelariu asked $300,000 more, and the negotiations collapsed. To not be criticised by Cursaru, Sechelariu raised his player's wage up to $10,000 per month. However, after the transfer failure, the player never regained his form and confidence. In the next three years, he produced only 17 goals, in 75 matches. In 2003, he impressed in a trial for the Norwegian side SK Brann, but once again, Sechelariu's demands, made the transaction collapsing.
In total, Cursaru scored 49 goals in the shirt of FCM Bacău in five seasons, leaving the club in July 2005 after he refused to extend his contract.
Rest of Career
Cursaru signed a two-year contract with Divizia A side SC Vaslui on 11 October 2005, but he ultimately failed to impress with the Moldavian team, scoring none during the season, in which Vaslui eventually remained in the top flight. He released his contract in late April. Following the unsuccessful spell in Vaslui, in June 2006 he signed with FC Naţional. He played for a year and a half for the "Bankers", but ultimately he was released following his low goal-per-match rate. Following two unsuccessful attempts to revive himself in the lower divisions, for Aerostar BacăuCS Aerostar Bacau
Aerostar Bacău is a Romanian professional football club from Bacău, Bacău county, Romania, founded in 1977.The club is named after Aerostar SA, a local aeronautics company and the sponsor of the team....
and Tricolorul Breaza, and without any offer for almost a year, he officially retired in mid-2011 from professional football.
Statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bacău FCM Bacau FCM Bacău is a Romanian football club, founded in 1950, currently playing in the Liga II. It's the best placed Moldovan team in the Liga I All-Time Table, ranking 9th with 42 seasons played.-History:... |
2000–01 | 26 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 28 | 16 |
| 2001–02 | 29 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 31 | 19 | |
| 2002–03 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 6 | |
| 2003–04 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 7 | |
| 2004–05 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 4 | |
| Total | 130 | 49 | 10 | 3 | 140 | 52 | |
| Vaslui | 2005–06 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Total | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Progresul | 2006–07 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 3 |
| 2007–08 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 3 | |
| Total | 40 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 6 | |
| Aerostar CS Aerostar Bacau Aerostar Bacău is a Romanian professional football club from Bacău, Bacău county, Romania, founded in 1977.The club is named after Aerostar SA, a local aeronautics company and the sponsor of the team.... |
2008–09 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| Total | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | |
| Breaza | 2009–10 2009–10 Liga II The 2009–10 Liga II season is the 70th season of Liga II, the second tier of the Romanian football league system. The season started on August 15, 2009 and will end on June 5, 2010.-Seria I:||rowspan=9 style="background-color:white;"|... |
7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Total | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Career total | 196 | 56 | 14 | 4 | 210 | 60 | |
Statistics accurate as of match played 15 October 2009
Individual
- Total matches played in Romanian First League: 167 matches - 51 goals.
- Topscorer of Romanian First League: 2002.