Cătălin Cursaru

Cătălin Cursaru

Personal information
Full name	Cătălin Marcel Cursaru
Date of birth	29 March 1978 (1978-03-29) (age 33)
Place of birth	Ploieşti, Romania
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
	Astra Ploieşti
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1997-2000	Astra Ploieşti
1999	→ Chimia Brazi (loan)
2000-2005	FCM Bacău	130	(49)
2005-2006	SC Vaslui	11	(0)
2006-2008	Progresul Bucureşti	40	(5)
2008	Aerostar Bacău	8	(2)
2009	Tricolorul Breaza	7	(0)
National team‡
2001-2002	Romania B	2	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 October 2009. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22 January 2002

Cătălin Cursaru (born 29 March 1978) is a retired Romanian 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.

Club career

Born in Ploieşti, 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).

FCM Bacău

On 26 January 2000, he signed for FCM Bacău, but he played no matches, because he was a dispute subject between Bacău and his former club Astra.^[1] The striker was eligible to play, starting August 2000, and soon after he scored his first two goals in his Liga I debut.^[1] 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.^[2] At the end of the season, German side Hertha Berlin offered $1,800,000, but Sechelariu asked $300,000 more, and the negotiations collapsed.^[3] To not be criticised by Cursaru, Sechelariu raised his player's wage up to $10,000 per month.^[3] However, after the transfer failure, the player never regained his form and confidence.^[1] 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.^[4]

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.^[5]

Rest of Career

Cursaru signed a two-year contract with Divizia A side SC Vaslui on 11 October 2005,^[6] but he ultimately failed to impress with the Moldavian team,^[7] scoring none during the season, in which Vaslui eventually remained in the top flight. He released his contract in late April.^[8] Following the unsuccessful spell in Vaslui, in June 2006 he signed with FC Naţional.^[9] He played for a year and a half for the "Bankers", but ultimately he was released following his low goal-per-match rate.^[10] Following two unsuccessful attempts to revive himself in the lower divisions, for Aerostar Bacău^[11] and Tricolorul Breaza,^[12] and without any offer for almost a year, he officially retired in mid-2011 from professional football.^[13]

Statistics

Club	Season	League		Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Bacău	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	2008–09	8	2	0	0	8	2
	Total	8	2	0	0	8	2
Breaza	2009–10	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

Honours

Individual

• Total matches played in Romanian First League: 167 matches - 51 goals.
• Topscorer of Romanian First League: 2002.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Marire si decadere" (in Romanian). Desteptarea. 19 August 2009. http://www.desteptarea.ro/sambata-catalin-cursaru-se-intoarce-in-bacau-in-calitate-de-rezerva-a-tricolorului-breaza-marire-si-decadere.html. 
2. ^ "Tun de 1.8 milioane de dolari ratat" (in Romanian). Cancan. 2 May 2007. http://www.cancan.ro/sport/fotbal-intern/tun-de-1-8-milioane-de-dolari-ratat-829.html. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Oficialii Hethei erau dispusi sa dea 1.800.000$ pe Cursaru" (in Romanian). Prosport. 6 July 2008. http://www.prosport.ro/fotbal-intern/liga-3/oficialii-herthei-erau-dispusi-sa-dea-1-800-000-s-pe-cursaru-2761328. 
4. ^ "Cheta pentru Cursaru" (in Romanian). 9AM. 16 September 2005. http://www.9am.ro/stiri-revista-presei/2005-09-16/cheta-pentru-catalin-cursaru.html. 
5. ^ "Ca la Calugareni" (in Romanian). 9AM. 9 May 2005. http://www.9am.ro/stiri-revista-presei/2005-05-09/ca-la-calugareni.html. 
6. ^ "Cursaru joaca la Timisoara" (in Romanian). Evenimentul. 6 October 2005. http://www.evenimentul.ro/articol/cursaru-joaca-la-timisoara.html. 
7. ^ "Cursaru e gras" (in Romanian). News Pad. 13 November 2005. http://www.newspad.ro/Raducanu-ia-bani-prea-multi-Cursaru-e-gras,52338.html. 
8. ^ "Cursaru a parasit Vasluiul" (in Romanian). Evenimentul. 13 April 2006. http://www.evenimentul.ro/articol/o-raza-de-speranta-0.html. 
9. ^ "RoMercato vara 2006" (in Romanian). Onlinesport. http://www.onlinesport.ro/fotbal/fotbal-intern/liga-1/884/ro-mercato-vara-2006-2007.htm. 
10. ^ "Golgeter in strada" (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 2 February 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=C%C4%83t%C4%83lin_Cursaru&action=submit. 
11. ^ "Inca o aventura ratata" (in Romanian). Ziarul Prahova. 7 November 2008. http://www.ziarulprahova.ro/stiri/sport/43989/inca-o-aventura-ratata. 
12. ^ "Cursaru dat afara de la Breaza" (in Romanian). Liga 2. 15 October 2009. http://liga2.prosport.ro/seria-1/cursaru-dat-afara-de-la-tricolorul-breaza-4992425. 
13. ^ "De la "Play of the Day" la "End of Play"" (in Romanian). Liga 2. 3 January 2011. http://liga2.prosport.ro/special/de-la-play-of-the-day-la-end-of-the-play-7859425. 

External links

• RomanianSoccer.ro

Romanian football portal

Persondata
Name	Cursaru, Catalin
Alternative names
Short description	footballer
Date of birth	29 March 1978
Place of birth	Ploieşti, Romania
Date of death
Place of death