Emeric Ienei, the legendary coach of Steaua and the Romanian national team, passed away today, November 5, at the age of 88, in his home in Oradea. Emeric Ienei remains in the history of Romanian football as the coach who achieved the greatest international performance of a team from Romania. In 1986, he managed to win the European Champions Cup with Steaua Bucharest. Ienei also recorded performances as the manager of the Romanian national team. In his first term as coach, he qualified Romania in the round of 16 of the 1990 World Cup, and in his second, in the quarterfinals of the 2000 European Championship.
Marius Lăcătuș’s reaction after the death of Emerich Ienai
Brașov resident Marius Lăcătuș reacted after learning of the death of Emerich Ienai, his former coach at Steaua and the national team.
” For us, those at Steaua, but I think also for the players of the national team, he was an emblematic man for sport, for Romanian football, a man about whom you cannot find words, for his behavior, the way he knew how to manage situations in the group. An extraordinary man! I remember, and I will never forget this, when I was going through a not-so-good period at Steaua. At one point, I went and had a discussion with Nea Imi. I told him that he should stop playing me, that we would both be making a fool of ourselves. I will never forget his answer: ‘For this, and not only for this, I will remain grateful to him for the rest of my life, ‘” declared Marius Lăcătuş.
May God rest him in peace!