History of FC Timişoara

This article details the History of FC Timişoara.

FC Timişoara under Marian Iancu

2004-05 season

The club was taken over by Marian Iancu and BKP in early 2005, with an immediate aim of saving the team from relegation. After loaning in Cosmin Contra and transferring Viorel Moldovan (free transfer), Marius Popa, Gabriel Cânu, Gabriel Caramarin and Gigel Coman from FC Naţional, as well as bringing in Cosmin Olăroiu to manage the team, the impact was immediate on the club's performances, as Poli started the 2005 footballing year with four wins in a row and kept on playing convincingly for the rest of the season, the most notable result being a 3-0 away victory against Rapid Bucharest. In the end, Olăroiu's team finished seventh in the league, without having to fear relegation.

2005-06 season

The new season started with the same Olăroiu on the bench and the squad had been reinforced with two important signings over the summer: central defender Jonathan McKain of FC Naţional and Divizia A top goalscorer Gigel Bucur of Sportul Studenţesc. Despite these strong additions to the team and an encouraging 2-2 draw against Juventus Torino in a home friendly before the start of the season, Poli underperformed and Olăroiu was sacked in November 2005. Gheorghe Hagi was brought in as his replacement and the former Romania captain had all his transfer desires fulfilled in the winter break. However, he could not deliver the expected results and resigned before the end of the season, with assistant Iosif Rotariu as caretaker manager for the remaining matches.

2006-07 season

During the 2006 preseason, Poli hired Sorin Cîrţu as their head coach for the 2006/2007 campaign. The club also acquired the services of several new players in the likes of Ştefan Grigorie and Dan Alexa from Dinamo Bucureşti, Andrei Cristea from Steaua Bucureşti, and Alexandru Bădoiu from Jiul Petroşani. Ersin Mehmedović and Mircea Oprea have also returned from their loans at FC Naţional in order to help the team achieve its goal in qualifying for the UEFA Cup this year.

Cîrţu, as his predecessors, didn't stay for long at Poli, resigning after the 12th match day, due to a string of poor results and his own deteriorating health. He was replaced by Alin Artimon, a former Poli player, and just recently head of the youth department at the club.

In March 2007, Artimon resigned and second team manager Iosif Rotariu was called in to lead the team for the next few matches. He was succeeded by ex-Poli player Valentin Velcea, who had been the team's Assistent Manager. In April 2007, Poli president Marian Iancu confirmed the arrival of a new manager at the end of the season, most likely Dušan Uhrin jr..

The season turned out to be yet another disappointment, as the team finished only 7th in the League and lost the Romanian Cup Final against Rapid Bucureşti (0-2), which was played in Timişoara.

2007-08 season

It had been rumored for several months before Dušan Uhrin, Jr.. was officially announced as the next Poli manager, that he would be the one for whom exceptations would be made for 2007/2008. The Czech manager impressed everyone with his calm and clear rationales, being labeled as one of the few gentlemens of Romanian football. He took over a weakened team, Ifeanyi Emeghara and Mihăiţă Pleşan having departed for Steaua at the season debut. On the other hand Ionel Ganea came to Poli as part of a player exchange which saw Ştefan Grigorie leave to Rapid, Marian Aliuţă and Cristian Dancia were signed on free transfers and two Slovenian internationals, Dare Vršič and Dejan Rušič were also bought to strengthen the team.

By the end of 2007 the team was lying third in the standings with 32 points and has an average of over two goals scored per match. However, Poli's defensive record was much worse than it had been in previous years and it seemed that this was the team's most significant weakness that had to be tended to.

A few days into the winter transfer window, the white-violets announced the transfers of Miloš Brezinský from Slovan Liberec and Balázs Borbély from Artmedia Bratislava. Elvio Raul Martinez, Tiberiu Bălan and Carlos Milhazes were also brought on loan. The club also terminated their deal with FCM Reşiţa, so that all of Politehnica's players there returned to Timişoara. In January, Marian Iancu stated he would retire from the club unless the City and County Councils would become co-investors at the football team. After a month of pressures, both Councils decided to offer a sponsorship, but refused to join the club's ownership.The invovlement was satisfactory for Mr. Iancu, who went on to say that BKP will continue offering their financial support.

Poli ended the season in sixth position, which ensured them qualification to the UEFA Cup, because the Romanian Cup final was played between CFR Cluj (league Champions and qualified for the Champions League) and Unirea Urziceni (who finished fifth in the standings). It is the first time in sixteen years that a team from Timişoara achieves European qualification.Poli managed to score 57 goals, more than any other first league side this season. Moreover, for the first time in over three decades, a team outside of Bucharest managed not to lose in either encounter with Dinamo Bucharest, Rapid Bucharest or Steaua Bucharest. It was also the first time since 1956 that Poli beat rivals UTA both away and at home.