Nicolae Dică

Nicolae Constantin Dică (Romanian pronunciation: [nikoˈla.e konstanˈtin ˈdikə]; born 9 May 1980) is a Romanian professional football manager and former player.

Nicolae Dică
Dică with CFR Cluj in 2010
Personal information
Full name Nicolae Constantin Dică
Date of birth (1980-05-09) 9 May 1980
Place of birth Pitești, Romania
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, forward
Youth career
1991–1998 Argeș Pitești
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2003 Argeș Pitești 88 (34)
1998–2000 → Dacia Pitești (loan) 50 (19)
2004–2008 FCSB 125 (54)
2008–2011 Catania 3 (0)
2009 → Iraklis (loan) 13 (3)
2010 → CFR Cluj (loan) 13 (0)
2010 → Manisaspor (loan) 5 (0)
2011 → FCSB (loan) 11 (4)
2011 Mioveni 15 (1)
2012–2014 Viitorul Constanța 69 (19)
Total 392 (134)
International career
2000–2001 Romania U21 5 (0)
2003–2010 Romania 32 (9)
Managerial career
2014–2015 FCSB (assistant)
2015 FCSB (caretaker)
2015–2017 SCM Pitești
2017–2018 FCSB
2019 Argeș Pitești
2019–2021 Romania (assistant)
2022 FCSB
2023 Mioveni
2023 FC U Craiova
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Deployed as an attacking midfielder or a forward, Dică was known for his incisive passing, long balls and spectacular finishes. He played professionally in four countries, but spent most of his career in his native Romania representing Dacia Mioveni, Argeș Pitești, FCSB, CFR Cluj and Viitorul Constanța. He was a Romanian international for seven years, and was selected for the UEFA Euro 2008.

Since his retirement as a player, Dică has had several stints as either an assistant, a caretaker or a head coach at his former club FCSB. He also managed Argeș Pitești and was an assistant at the Romania national team.

Club career

Dacia Pitești

Dică started playing professional football when he was 18 years old at a local team Dacia Pitești.[2]

In his first season, Dică played in 17 games and scored 5 times for Dacia. In the second, he became a first team player and had a very good season, with Dacia finishing fourth in the Romanian Divizia B. He was one of the top scorers in the league that season with 14 goals.

Argeș Pitești

Dică was seen as an upcoming talent and the local Divizia A club, FC Argeș Pitești, signed him in 2000.[3] He made his debut for FC Argeș Pitești in a 2–1 win against Gaz Metan Mediaș.[4] He was soon awarded the captain's armband after the transfers of Adrian Mutu to Dinamo București and Adrian Neaga to Steaua București.

Steaua București

Romanian giants Steaua București paid €250,000 to sign him from Argeș Pitești in December 2003. He was transferred to Steaua after the recommendation of Victor Pițurcă and Mihai Stoica.[5]

He made his debut in Europe in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup season, when Steaua eliminated previous winners Valencia, en route to the Round of 16, where they were knocked out by another Spanish side Villarreal.[6]

In 2005 after Dică lost the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League, due to Steaua being eliminated by Rosenborg BK,[7] he had another successful season in the UEFA Cup. The Bucharest club defeated the likes of Lens, Heereenven, Real Betis and their Romanian rivals Rapid București,[8] on their way to the UEFA CUP semi-final, where they were eliminated by English Premier League club, Middlesbrough.[9]

On 13 September 2006, Dică scored twice in the 4–1 away win against Dynamo Kyiv in Steaua București's opening game in the UEFA Champions League, this being his first ever appearance in said tournament.[10] He went on to score four goals and add one assist in six games against group opponents, Dynamo Kiev, Real Madrid, and Olympique Lyonnais. After his performances in the Champions League, the daily newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor gave the Romanian Footballer of the Year 2006 award to Dică.[11]

On 23 January 2007, he suffered a knee injury while playing in a friendly against AC Siena, and missed most of the season.[12] On 9 May, for his birthday, Dică returned to the team and was introduced in the late stages of the 2–0 victory against Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț.[13] This was his first official game in 2007.

Catania

On 28 June 2008, Dică moved to Catania, mainly due to the desire of his former Steaua coach, Walter Zenga. He was expected to replace midfielder Juan Manuel Vargas who moved to ACF Fiorentina,[14] but ended up being a flop, taking part in just 93 minutes of play during his first six months with Palermo. Although it seemed almost certain that he would leave during the January transfer market, coach Walter Zenga kept him at Catania until the end of the Serie A season.

In June 2009, Iraklis signed Dică on loan from Calcio Catania.[15] He made his competitive debut on 23 August 2009 and scored twice in a 2–1 win over Panthrakikos.

In January 2010, CFR Cluj signed the midfielder on loan from Catania until June 2010. He won the Liga I and the Romanian Cup with them, scoring his first goal in a 2–1 victory against Dinamo București in the second leg of the Cup semi-final.

In July 2010, Manisaspor signed the midfielder on loan from Catania until June 2011. He rarely made it to the first team and then, on 14 December 2010, he agreed to cancel his contract with Manisaspor.[16]

Later years

In January 2011, Dică signed a one-year contract with his former team, Steaua București.[17] He made his debut for the club, on 27 February 2011, in a 1–0 win at Universitatea Craiova.[18] On 5 April, he scored his first goal after his return to Steaua in a 5–0 home win over Unirea Urziceni. On 11 May, Dică scored the equalizer against AS Brașov, which sent Steaua through to the Romanian Cup final. On 25 May, Dică scored from a trademark free kick in a 2–1 victory over rivals Dinamo București, and won his second consecutive Romanian cup.

In May 2011, Dică joined Liga I side Dacia Mioveni. He received the number 80 jersey.[19] On 31 October, Dică scored a goal in a 3–1 defeat to Concordia Chiajna.[20] In January 2012, after fifteen games for the Liga I squad, he terminated his contract with Mioveni.[21]

Later that month he signed a one and a half year contract with Liga II side Viitorul Constanța.[22] At the end of the 2011–12 season, Viitorul earned promotion to the Liga I,[23] in part due to Dică's performances, who scored six goals in the second half of the season.[24]

International career
Dică playing against the Nigeria national team

On 11 October 2003, Dică made his debut for the Romania national team in a friendly game against Japan.[25] He scored his first goal in August 2006, in a friendly game against Cyprus and amassed a total of 32 appearances for Romania.[26]

Managerial career

On 15 May 2017, it was announced that Nicolae Dică will be the manager of Steaua București for the 2017–18 season.[27] He went undefeated in his first ten games in all competitions before losing to Portuguese club Sporting CP, in the 2017–18 Champions League play-off.[28] In December 2018, after a year and a half at the helm of the club, Dică terminated his contract with Steaua București by mutual consent.[29]

On 26 July 2022, Dică returned to FCSB.[30] On 1 November 2022, Dică terminated his contract with FCSB by mutual consent.[31][32]

On 14 January 2023, he was presented as the new manager of his former club Mioveni.[33] He left the team by mutual consent on 26 April 2023.[34]

On 17 July that year, he took charge of another Liga I side FC U Craiova.[35] After two losses in the opening games of the season, he recorded two wins, before suffering a 4–3 defeat to Petrolul Ploiești on 18 August. The following day, only 34 days into his tenure, he was dismissed from the club.[36]

Personal life

In November 2003, Dică married Corina Zimbroianu, after the two met in 1998. He has a son, Marco Ilie, who was baptized by his former Steaua teammate, Mirel Radoi.[37]

In March 2007, he had a difficult period in his life as his father died due to cirrhosis. Dică was under treatment at the Isokinetic clinic, in Bologna, when he heard the news.[38] His father was the one who encouraged him to become a footballer.

Career statistics

Club

[39][40]

Club Division Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Dacia Pitești (loan) Divizia B 1998–99 175??–175
Divizia B 1999–00 3314??–3314
Total 5019??005019
FC Argeș Divizia A 2000–01 19410–204
Divizia A 2001–02 271121–2912
Divizia A 2002–03 281050–3310
Divizia A 2003–04 14832–1710
Total 8834113009937
Steaua București Divizia A 2003–04 1490000149
Divizia A 2004–05 2911001124013
Divizia A 2005–06 2915101564521
Liga I 2006–07 2310001053315
Liga I 2007–08 309001014010
Total 1255410461417268
Catania Serie A 2008–09 3031–61
Iraklis Thessaloniki (loan) Superleague 2009–10 13300–133
CFR Cluj (loan) Liga I 2009–10 1303100161
Manisaspor (loan) Süper Lig 2010–11 5021–71
Steaua București Liga I 2010–11 11422–136
Mioveni Liga I 2011–12 15100–151
Viitorul Constanța Liga II 2011–12 13600–136
Liga I 2012–13 261000–2610
Liga I 2013–14 30310–313
Total 691910007019
Career total 3921342384614461156

International stats
Romania national team
YearAppsGoals
200320
200470
200530
200652
200754
200883
200900
201020
Total329

International goals
Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first. "Score" column indicates the score after the player's goal.
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
116 August 2006Stadionul Farul, Constanța, Romania Cyprus1–02–0Friendly
26 September 2006Qemal Stafa, Tirana, Albania Albania1–02–0UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying
322 August 2007Stadionul Lia Manoliu, Bucharest, Romania Turkey1–02–0Friendly
48 September 2007Dinamo Stadium, Minsk, Belarus Belarus2–13–1UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying
521 November 2007Stadionul Lia Manoliu, Bucharest, Romania Albania1–06–1UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying
621 November 2007Stadionul Lia Manoliu, Bucharest, Romania Albania6–16–1UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying
731 May 2008Stadionul Ghencea, Bucharest, Romania Montenegro3–04–0Friendly
831 May 2008Stadionul Ghencea, Bucharest, Romania Montenegro4–04–0Friendly
920 August 2008Stadionul Tineretului, Urziceni, Romania Latvia1–01–0Friendly

Managerial statistics
As of 18 August 2023[41][42]
Team From To Record
GWDLGFGAGDWin %
Romania Steaua București (caretaker) 1 December 2015 3 December 2015 1 0 1 0 1 1 +0 000.00
Romania SCM Pitești 29 December 2015 31 May 2017 44 36 6 2 114 28 +86 081.82
Romania Steaua București 1 June 2017 23 December 2018 80 46 18 16 146 79 +67 057.50
Romania Argeș Pitești 6 June 2019 7 October 2019 10 4 1 5 12 15 −3 040.00
Romania FCSB 26 July 2022 1 November 2022 23 9 7 7 34 39 −5 039.13
Romania Mioveni 14 January 2023 26 April 2023 15 3 4 8 11 23 −12 020.00
Romania FC U Craiova 17 July 2023 19 August 2023 5 2 0 3 10 10 +0 040.00
Total 178 100 37 41 327 195 +132 056.18

Honours

Player

Steaua București

CFR Cluj

Individual

Manager

SCM Pitești

References
  1. "Nicolae Dica – Catania – Campionato di Serie A" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  2. "Recunoştinţă pentru Dică" (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  3. "Spectacol cu acorduri de fanfară în Trivale!" (in Romanian). ProSport. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  4. "Argeş Piteşti v CS Gaz Metan Mediaş". Goal.com. 12 July 2000. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  5. "Cum si-a luat Steaua adio de la Dica" (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  6. "Dică despre Steaua - Valencia 2005" (in Romanian). Dolce. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  7. "Totul despre Rosenborg, adversara Stelei din play-off-ul Europa League" (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  8. "Mihai Stoica îi "înțeapă" pe cei de la CSA Steaua" (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  9. Walker, Michael (28 April 2006). "Boro win 4–3 on aggregate". London: guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  10. "Steaua Thrashed Dynamo Kiev in Champions League Opener". news.softpedia.com. 14 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  11. "Nicolae Dica este jucătorul anului 2006 în Ancheta Gazetei". blogsport.ro. 21 December 2006. Archived from the original on 27 April 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  12. "Dică riscă să piardă tot sezonul". realitatea.net. 20 January 2007. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  13. "Steaua Bucharest Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt". Eurosport. 9 May 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  14. "Catania Snap Up Nicolae Dica". transfermarketweb.com. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
  15. "Catania gibt Dica an Iraklis ab" [Catania sell Dica to Iraklis] (in Greek). 4-4-2.com. 2 June 2009. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  16. "Nicolae Dică şi-a reziliat contractul cu turcii de la Manisaspor: "Avem jucători mai buni ca el"". prosport.ro. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
  17. "Portughezii au aflat de cea mai mare problema a Stelei" [Portuguese uncover Steaua's biggest problem] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  18. "Bilasco aduce prima victorie a Stelei in 2011" [Bilasco brings Steaua's first victory in 2011] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  19. "Dică's profile on CS Mioveni's official site". csmioveni.ro. 18 July 2011. Archived from the original on 4 December 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  20. "Dica la primul gol pentru Mioveni" [Dica at his first goal for Mioveni] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  21. "Dica si-a reziliat contractul cu Mioveni" [Dica terminates his contract with Mioveni] (in Romanian). a1.ro. 12 June 2012. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  22. "Hagi l-a transferat pe Dica" [Hagi transferred Dica] (in Romanian). realitatea.net. 26 June 2012. Archived from the original on 23 January 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  23. "Viitorul in Liga I" [Viitorul in Liga I] (in Romanian). ProSport. 8 June 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  24. Dică
  25. "Romania - Japonia sau Mutu impotriva lui Nakata" (in Romanian). curierulnational.ro. 11 October 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  26. "Nicolae Dica, l'erede di Hagi comparso a Catania" (in Italian). contra-ataque.it. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  27. "Nicolae Dică este noul antrenor al FCSB" [Nicolae Dica is the new manager of FCSB] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  28. "FCSB - Sporting 1-5" [FCSB - Sporting 1-5] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  29. "Fostul secund al lui Nicolae Dică la FCSB a semnat cu o echipă de Liga a 2-a" [Ex Nicolae Dică assistant manager signs with Liga II club] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  30. "Nicolae Dică e noul antrenor al celor de la FCSB! Tehnicianul a ajuns la baza din Berceni". www.digisport.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  31. "Mulțumim, Nicolae Dică!" (in Romanian). FCSB. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  32. "EXCLUSIV Nicolae Dică și-a dat demisia de la FCSB" (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  33. "Nicolae Dică a fost prezentat oficial la CS Mioveni! Fostul antrenor de la FCSB a dezvăluit obiectivul setat de oficialii clubului: „Este o mare provocare pentru mine"". prosport.ro (in Romanian). 14 January 2023.
  34. "CONTRACTUL CU ANTRENORUL NICOLAE DICĂ A FOST REZILIAT!" (in Romanian). Mioveni. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  35. "Nicolae Dică s-a întors! Anunț-șoc în SuperLigă". gsp.ro (in Romanian). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  36. "Clubul nostru și antrenorii Nicolae Dică și George Cotigă au încheiat de comun acord contractul de colaborare" (in Romanian). FC U Craiova 1948. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  37. "Nicolae Dică, la un pas de divorţ" (in Romanian). Libertatea. 8 December 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  38. "A murit tatal lui Nicolae Dica" (in Romanian). Libertatea. 8 March 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  39. "Nicolae Dică". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  40. Nicolae Marius Dică at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  41. "Nicolae Dică". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  42. "Profile of Nicolae Dică". FootballDatabase.eu. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
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