Cicerone Manolache (16 May 1936 – 28 January 2024) was a Romanian footballer and manager who played as a forward and made four appearances for Romania's national team.[4][5]

Cicerone Manolache
Personal information
Date of birth (1936-05-16)16 May 1936
Place of birth Păunești, Romania
Date of death 28 January 2024(2024-01-28) (aged 87)
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1950–1957 FCM Reșița
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1957–1959 FCM Reșița
1959–1965 Știința Timișoara[b] 94 (42)
1965–1968 Farul Constanța 66 (10)
1968–1969 Politehnica Timișoara 20 (9)
1969–1970 CFR Timișoara 37 (12)
1970–1971 UM Timișoara 6 (0)
Total 223 (73)
International career
1962–1963 Romania[a] 7 (3)
Managerial career
1971–1972 CFR Timișoara
1972–1974 CARA Brazzaville
1974–1976 Congo
1976–1977 UTA Arad
1977–1978 UM Timișoara
1978–1979 FCM Reșița
1980–1981 FCM Reșița
1982 Politehnica Timișoara
1983–1984 Libya
2006 AS Covaci
2009–2016 Agronomia Timișoara
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Cicerone Manolache was born on 16 May 1936 in Păunești, Romania but when he was three years old, his family moved to Reșița, starting to play junior level football in 1950 at local club, FCM.[3][6][7][8][9] In 1957, he started to play senior level football for Reșița in Divizia B where he would spend two seasons, afterwards moving to Știința Timișoara in the same league, a team he helped earn promotion to Divizia A by scoring 18 goals in his first season.[3][6][8] In the following season, Manolache made his Divizia A debut on 4 September 1960 in a 0–0 with Rapid București, being a constant appearance for four seasons, the highlights of this period being the 1962–63 season when he scored 15 goals and the team finished on the third place.[3][6][8][10] In the 1963–64 season, Știința relegated back to Divizia B but Manolache stayed with the club, helping it promote back to the first league after one year by scoring 9 goals.[3][6][8] In 1965 Manolache went back to Divizia A football as he signed with Farul Constanța where he would stay for the following three seasons, the most successful one being the 1966–67 edition when with his six goals scored he helped the club finish on the fourth position.[3][6][7][8] Afterwards he went to play for Politehnica Timișoara in Divizia B for one season, then moving to neighboring club CFR where he scored 12 goals in his first season, helping it gain promotion to Divizia A.[3][8] In the following season, Manolache made his last Divizia A appearance on 28 November 1970, playing for CFR in a 2–0 home loss with Argeș Pitești, having a total of 171 matches with 52 goals scored in the competition.[3][6][8] He ended his career after spending one season at UM Timișoara in the second league.[3][6][8]

International career

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Cicerone Manolache played four games at international level for Romania, making his debut under coach Gheorghe Popescu on 25 November 1962 in a 1964 European Nations' Cup qualification match against Spain, in which he gave an assist to Nicolae Tătaru's goal and he netted Romania's second goal in a 3–1 win.[6][8][11][12] Even though the qualification was lost as in the first leg Spain won 6–0, his performance was praised by the Spanish press:"Romania showed as a team of great character, led on the field by the kid Manolache, the "roller" in the center of the attack line".[12] Manolache said about the game:"We played with fantastic determination. We were going headfirst into the counter, on the crampons, we didn't care about anything. Just to win, to erase the stain from the national team's coat of arms".[12] His following three games were friendlies, the last one being a 0–0 with Turkey.[1]

Manolache also played for Romania's Olympic team at the successful 1964 Summer Olympics qualifiers, scoring brace in a 3–2 win over Denmark, however he was not called up for the final tournament.[1][11][13][14][15]

Managerial career

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Cicerone Manolache started coaching in 1971 at CFR Timișoara, leading the club for one year in Divizia B.[8][16] Afterwards he went to coach abroad in Congo at CARA Brazzaville with whom he won the only trophies of his career, the 1973 Congo Premier League and the 1974 African Cup of Champions Clubs.[6][8][11][12][16] Following his performances with CARA, he was appointed head coach of Congo's national team, leading it in the 1976 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, eliminating Ivory Coast in the first round but not managing to reach the final tournament as they were defeated in the following round by Nigeria.[8][11][12][17] Afterwards, Manolache returned to his country, having his first experience as a coach in Divizia A, leading UTA Arad to a 12th place in the 1976–77 season.[8][11][16][18][19] In 1977 he went back to Divizia B, coaching UM Timișoara and FCM Reșița, at the latter having two spells.[8][11][16][20] In 1982 he had his last Divizia A spell at Politehnica Timișoara when he was brought to replace Marcel Pigulea.[8][11][16][21] In 1983, Manolache returned to Africa, leading Libya's national team until 1984, his spell ended because FIFA excluded Libya from all competitions for two years, due to not appearing in an away match with Egypt.[8][12][17][16][22] From 1985 until 2016, Manolache worked for various clubs in the Romanian lower leagues, the last one being Agronomia Timișoara.[8][11][16]

Personal life

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He was named Cicerone after the Roman philosopher, Cicero.[7]

Death

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Manolache died on 28 January 2024 at age 87.[8][12][10][1][23][24]

Career statistics

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International

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Romania[1][13]
Year Apps Goals
1962 2 1
1963 5 2
Total 7 3

International goals

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No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 25 November 1962 Stadionul 23 August, Bucharest, Romania   Spain 2–0 3–1 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifiers
2 23 June 1963 Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark   Denmark 2–1 3–2 1964 Summer Olympics qualifiers
3 3–2

Honours

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Player

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Știința Timișoara

CFR Timișoara

Manager

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CARA Brazzaville

Notes

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  1. ^ Including 3 appearances and 2 goals for Romania's Olympic team.[1][2]
  2. ^ The statistics for the 1959–60 and 1964–65 Divizia B seasons are not available.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Cicerone Manolache". European Football. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  2. ^ Cicerone Manolache at National-Football-Teams.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Cicerone Manolache". RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  4. ^ Cicerone Manolache at WorldFootball.net
  5. ^ Biholari, Cornel (23 June 2016). "Jackie Ionescu și Cicerone Manolache, sărbătoriți de Fundația Politehnica la împlinirea unei vârste rotunde. "Nu avem două Poli, să risipim confuzia"" [Jackie Ionescu and Cicerone Manolache, celebrated by the Polytechnic Foundation at a rounded age. "We have two poles, to dispel confusion"]. Pressalert.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Cicerone Manolache, fost selecţioner al Libiei, ne-a dezvăluit cum s-a răzbunat Gaddafi pe teroriştii care au vrut să-l ucidă" [Cicerone Manolache, Libya's former selector, revealed how Gaddafi avenged the terrorists who wanted to kill him]. libertatea.ro (in Romanian). Libertatea. 27 March 2011. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Bocai, Marian (6 December 2014). "Poveştile savuroase ale fostului mare mijlocaş al Farului: Cicerone Manolache, turnat la Miliţie pentru "spionaj cu porumbei"" [Delicious stories of the lighthouse was the great midfielder: Cicerone Manolache cast to the police for "spy pigeons"]. ziuaconstanta.ro (in Romanian). ZIUA de Constanţa. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "S-a stins și Cicerone Manolache, polistul care a dat gol Spaniei și a cucerit Cupa Campionilor Africii" [Cicerone Manolache, the footballer who scored Spain's goal and won the African Champions Cup, also died] (in Romanian). Sspolitehnica.ro. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Fostul fotbalist Cicerone Manolache a împlinit 84 de ani. "Constanța e a doua mea casă!"" [Former footballer Cicerone Manolache turned 84 years old. "Constanța is my second home!"]. ziuaconstanta.ro (in Romanian). ZIUA de Constanţa. 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Zile negre pentru fotbalul timișorean. A murit Cicerone Manolache" [Black days for Timisoara football. Cicero Manolache died] (in Romanian). Pressalert.ro. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h Bălulescu, Lavinia (12 May 2009). "Timişoara: Cicerone Manolache a stat aproape de "diavolii" africani" [Timișoara: Cicerone Manolache stood close to the African "devils"]. adevarul.ro (in Romanian). Adevărul. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "S-a stins Cicerone Manolache, eroul victoriei cu Spania din '62. Pasaje memorabile în reportajul publicat de Gazetă în 2009: "De față cu Ceaușescu, m-am ridicat în picioare și am zis asta. Toți au râs de mine"" [Cicerone Manolache, the hero of the victory with Spain in '62, died. Memorable passages in the report published by Gazeta in 2009: "Face to face with Ceaușescu, I stood up and said this. Everyone laughed at me"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 28 January 2024. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Cicerone Manolache profile". 11v11. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Denmark v Romania, 23 June 1963". 11v11. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Exclusiv: Interviu Cicerone Manolache, cuceritorul Africii" [Exclusive: Interview with Cicerone Manolache, conqueror of Africa]. sportm.ro (in Romanian). Sport Magazin. 10 December 2007. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g "Cici Manolache, antrenorul timișorean care a scris istorie în fotbalul african, a împlinit 86 de ani" [Cici Manolache, the coach from Timisoara who wrote history in African football, turned 86] (in Romanian). Ziuadevest.ro. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  17. ^ a b Axinescu, Ionuț (11 January 2018). "Românii care au antrenat echipe naționale din străinătate înainte de '90" [Romanians who trained national teams from abroad before the '90s]. theplaymaker.ro (in Romanian). The Playmaker. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  18. ^ "Cicerone Manolache". Labtof.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  19. ^ "Divizia A - Tables - Season 1976-77". Romaniansoccer.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  20. ^ Daramus, Lucian (2 October 2018). "Istoria derby–urilor dintre Metalurgistul Cugir și FCM Reșița" [The history of the derby between Metalurgistul Cugir and FCM Reșița]. AbSport.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  21. ^ "Cici Manolache a facut istorie in fotbalul african" [Cici Manolache has made history in African football]. evz.ro (in Romanian). Evenimentul Zilei. 12 October 2006. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  22. ^ "Ca selecţioner al Libiei, Cicerone Manolache avea un salariu de 2.000 $, dar statul român oprea 1.700 $" [As the coach of Libya, Cicerone Manolache had a salary of $2,000, but the Romanian state withheld $1,700] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  23. ^ "A murit fostul mare jucător Cicerone Manolache. A evoluat cu succes și la Farul Constanța" [Former great player Cicerone Manolache has died. It also performed successfully at the Farul Constanța]. ziuaconstanta.ro (in Romanian). ZIUA de Constanţa. 29 January 2024. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  24. ^ "Cicerone Manolache, plecat la îngeri" [Cicerone Manolache, gone to the angels] (in Romanian). Sporttim.ro. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
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