FRF president visits UEFA

The new president of the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), Răzvan Burleanu, has visited the House of European Football in Nyon.

Mr Burleanu held talks with UEFA President Michel Platini and members of UEFA's national associations division, with discussions centring on European football issues, as well as on UEFA's support to Romania under the European governing body's HatTrick assistance programme for its member associations.

The 29-year-old was elected in March, with Mircea Sandu, who had given outstanding service as FRF president since 1990, appointed as honorary president.

A youth footballer before deciding to move into academia, he is the son of Gheorghe Burleanu, who played more than 350 matches in the Romanian domestic top flight. The new president studied political science at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest, and graduated following several master's studies and a doctoral thesis. Mr Burleanu has worked for the municipal authorities in the city of Bacau, as well as for the Romanian parliament and the administration of the Romanian presidency.

Mr Burleanu told UEFA.org: "It's a very important moment for the Romanian Football Federation to come [to UEFA], because I would like to initiate a new way of thinking and doing things with regard to the development of football in my country – using the UEFA model. I strongly believe that the UEFA model is successful in the sports field – it's a true source of inspiration, and a reference point for sports organisation at European and international levels."

Romania was a founder member of UEFA in 1954, and the FRF was born in 1957. The national team's best performance in a major tournament came at the 1994 FIFA World Cup where they reached the quarter-finals, a finish they repeated at UEFA EURO 2000. The country has produced a host of talented players who have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers throughout Europe.

Mr Burleanu is fully committed to progress, and is aware of his role and standing. "The position of president means a lot of responsibility, and when you're young, you don't want your name to be connected with failure," he said.

The Romanian association is grateful for UEFA's dedicated support. "HatTrick is extremely important, because we must invest in our future generation," Mr Burleanu explained. "Romania needs to invest in sporting infrastructure, especially in the youth sector – this is one of my priorities in my mandate – and we need to invest in good governance, as well as in institutional development."

Like any football person, Răzvan Burleanu yearns to see his country's national team flourish. "It's not just a dream but also an objective that in eight years Romania will be in the top ten at international level," he said. "It might be difficult, but we have the ambition and we will be proactive, particularly in our relationship with UEFA." A first step along the path would be to qualify for the UEFA EURO 2016 final round in France in two years' time.

Grassroots targets are also on the agenda. "One other objective of my mandate is that every child in Romania should have the chance to play football – to have a modern pitch and a ball, and to have a professional coach," Mr Burleanu concluded. "Football has to be open to everyone, and if we do this, I strongly believe that Romania can accomplish all the objectives which we have set."