Gabi Balint
Gavril Pelé " Gabi " Balint ( born January 3, 1963 in Sângeorz - Băi ) is a former Romanian football player and current coach. He completed a total of 347 games in Divizia A and the Spanish Primera División. He also took part in the World Cup 1990. Most recently, he was in 2013 the Romanian first division side FC Vaslui under contract.
Playing career
Gavril Balint began playing football at the age of 11 years in his hometown. His parents had already given him in anticipation of his career the second name of Pele. In 1980 Balint left his home and moved to Steaua Bucharest. There he played on June 7, 1981 his first game in the highest Romanian football league, the Divizia A. Already in the following season became Balint -team regular and contributed to the fact that the most successful Romanian team Steaua 1980s and to a the best in Europe. The highlight of his career was the 1985/86 season, as Balint with Steaua won the European Champions Cup. In addition to reaching the European Cup final in the 1988/89 season with Steaua Balint won five league titles and won four Romanian Cups. In the 1989/90 season Balint eventually became the top scorer of the Divizia A.
In 1990 Balint moved to the World Cup - like most other Romanian national team also - abroad and joined for a fee of $ 800,000 to the Spanish club Real Burgos, who had just ascended the Primera División. Also in Burgos Balint became a regular player. After three years in Burgos, which was in financial difficulties and División relegation to the Segunda, he ended his career at the age of 30 years.
National
Balint played a total of 34 games for the Romanian national football team. He made his debut on April 14, 1982 against Bulgaria. While he was very little inserts for many years, Balint was ahead of the Football World Cup 1990 in Italy for regular players. Coach Emerich Jenei put him in all four games and Balint scored two goals.
Coaching career
After his playing career was brought Balint Anghel Iordănescu as his assistant for the Romanian national team in 1994. This he remained until 1998, he was given the opportunity to take over as head coach of FC Bihor Oradea the team in Divizia B. However, a position he had to give up already after seven games. After the season he moved to league rivals Sportul Studenţesc Bucharest, with whom he won the third place in Seria I Divizia B. In May 2000, national coach Emerich Jenei caught up with him again as an assistant to the national team.
After the Euro 2000 Balint was brought by Mircea Lucescu as an assistant coach at Galatasaray. There, however, he remained only one season, since he was appointed former team-mate Gheorghe Hagi in the summer of 2001 as an assistant coach for the national team. After the failed qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2002 Balint got in 2002 again the opportunity to be head coach, and changed it to Sheriff Tiraspol. After winning the Moldavian Championship Balint again received an offer from Sportul Studenţesc, which he led back to the Divizia A in season 2003/ 04. After this success brought him Gheorghe Hagi as an assistant coach at Galatasaray and Hagi followed Balint in 2005 to FCU Politehnica Timişoara. From 2006 to 2008 he worked as a commentator for the Romanian TV station Pro TV. On December 29, 2008, Balint head coach at the first division side FC Timişoara, but he was there, already released on 1 June 2009, before the end of the season and replaced by Valentin Velcea. On 19 January 2010, he became coach of the Moldovan national football team, which he supervised as part of the qualification for the 2012 European Football Championship. The team finished second in its group in fifth place and then the Moldovan Association announced on 19 December 2011 that Balint's contract was not renewed after its expiry.
After more than a year's break Balint received on April 9, 2013 a contract as successor to Viorel Hizo as coach of Romanian first division side FC Vaslui and finished with this at the end of the 2012/13 season in fifth place in the table. After his assistant coach Iosif Rotariu was dismissed because he had been blamed for the failed transfer of his nephew Dorin Rotariu to FC Vaslui, Balint sparked a protest against this decision in July 2013 to his contract.
Achievements
As a player
- World Cup participants: 1990
- European champions of the national champion: 1986
- European Super Cup: 1987
- Romanian champion: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
- Romanian Cup Winners: 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989
- Scorer Divizia A: 1990
As a coach
- Moldavian Champion: 2003
- CIS Cup: 2003
Others
Balint has been divorced since 2003 and has two daughters.