Viorel Ion

Viorel Ion (born 2 November 1967) is a Romanian football manager. Throughout his playing career, Viorel Ion played for several teams, including Oțelul Galați, Steaua București, VfL Bochum and Rapid București. He was player-manager of Gloria Buzău, which he helped promote to Liga I during the 2006–07 season.

Viorel Ion
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-11-02) 2 November 1967
Place of birth Mărăcineni, Buzău, Romania
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1991 Gloria Buzău12 4 (4)
1991–1992 Oțelul Galați 33 (11)
1992–1995 Steaua București 73 (9)
1995–1998 Oțelul Galați 100 (28)
1998–1999 VfL Bochum 12 (1)
1999–2000 Oțelul Galați 36 (5)
2000–2001 Rapid București 14 (0)
2001–2003 Gloria Buzău3 18 (3)
2003–2004 Rulmentul Alexandria 8 (0)
2004–2005 Dunărea Galați 20 (4)
2005–2008 Gloria Buzău 56 (8)
Total 374 (73)
International career
1991–1997 Romania 4 (0)
Managerial career
2001-2003 Gloria Buzău (player-coach)
2003-2004 R. Alexandria (player-coach)
2004-2005 Dunărea Galați (player-coach)
2005–2008 Gloria Buzău (player-coach)
2008-2009 Petrolul Berca (president)
2010 FC Drobeta-Turnu Severin
2011–2012 CF Brăila
2012–2013 CS Otopeni
2013–2016 Gloria Buzău
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Ion was born in Buzău. His Romanian first league debut took place in 1984, at the age of 17, playing for Gloria Buzău. In 1991, he left his club, at the time relegated to Liga II, for Oțelul Galați. Nicknamed Vioară (Violin), he subsequently transferred to Steaua București, winning three Romanian Champion titles with that team. From Steaua, he went on to play in the German Bundesliga for VfL Bochum. Upon his return to Romania, he played for Rapid București and Oțelul Galați again.

Ion made four appearances for the Romania national football team.[1]

Manager career

In 2001, he returned to Buzău, to find his old team, Gloria, relegated to the Romanian third division. He took over as player-manager and promoted the team back to Liga II in his first year. Later on, he attempted to lead Gloria to Liga I in 2003, when the team lost the promotion play-off to Politehnica Timișoara.

In 2003-2004 season he was player-manager of Rulmentul Alexandria, where he managed to finish 11th in 2003-04 Divizia B. Next season he went to be a player-manager at FCM Dunărea Galați Dunărea Galați, finishing 3rd in 2004-05 Divizia B.

Viorel Ion succeeded to promote Gloria Buzău to Liga I during the 2006–07 season, after finishing second. After losing the first two games of the 2007–08 season, Ion resigned his position as player-manager in favor of his colleague Ilie Stan and took on other management position with Gloria Buzău.[2]

In 2008-2009 season he went on to be a shareholder and president of 2008-09 Liga III Petrolul Berca, the club that transformed intoFC Voluntari in 2010.[3]

From September 2010 until November 2010 he was the manager of FC Drobeta-Turnu Severin.[4]

In 2011-2012 season he went to manage AFC Dacia Unirea Brăila and in 2011-2012 season he managed CS Otopeni.

In 2013 he returned to FC Gloria Buzău. In 2016 Viorel Ion, alongside most of the players and coaches, was suspended for match fixing by the football federation.[5]

Honours

Club

Steaua Bucharest

Notes

^1 The 1987–1988, 1989–1991 appearances and goals made for Gloria Buzău are unavailable.
^2 The 1988–1989 appearances made for Gloria Buzău are unavailable.
^3 The 2001–2002 appearances and goals made for Gloria Buzău are unavailable.

References
  1. Siminiceanu, Radu (6 April 2003). "Romania National Team 1990–1999 – Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  2. "Prima demisie a sezonului - Viorel Ion renunta la banca Buzaului". Hotnews.ro. Hotnews.ro. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  3. "Bunică mai are nevoie de voluntari serioși". liga2.prosport.ro. Liga2.prosport.ro. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  4. "Viorel Ion a debutat cu dreptul la FC Drobeta". liga2.prosport.ro. Liga2.prosport.ro. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  5. "Sancțiuni fără precedent în fotbalul românesc: 174 de luni de suspendare pentru pariuri!". digisport.ro. Digisport. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
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