Romania look to replace Moldovan

Viorel Moldovan's retirement has forced changes to the Romania squad for their next two UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifiers.

International retirement
The 31-year-old striker decided to end his international career after an injury-plagued season at FC Nantes Atlantique. Moldovan had been a regular for Romania for ten years, playing in the finals of two FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships, and scoring 25 goals in 68 appearances.

'Time for a younger player'
"After so many injuries, I cannot play at the same level for the club and for the national team," said Moldovan who will leave Nantes when his contract expires in the summer. "It's time for a younger player to show their skills. I want to play at club level two more years and after that I'll finish for good."

Ilie returns
In Moldovan's place, Adrian Ilie has returned to the squad for the Group 2 matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Craiova on 7 June and Norway in Oslo on 11 June. The Deportivo Alavés striker has not played for Romania since the friendly defeat against Croatia in November last year.

'Very gifted'
Since then, he has struggled with injuries and has found it difficult to keep a regular first-team place at the Primera División club. However, coach Anghel Iordanescu has never lost faith in the striker's abilities. "Adrian Ilie is very gifted and very important and can help us in this qualification campaign," he said.

New names
Another striker in contention is FC Steaua Bucuresti's Claudiu Raducanu who has received his second international call-up after scoring 21 goals this season to become the Romanian top flight's top scorer. He will be joined in the squad for the first time by Steaua team-mates George Ogararu and Marian Aliuta.

Best options
Iordanescu insisted that his mix of foreign-based experience and local talent was the best he could muster. "Unfortunately there are less and less foreign-based players who play as regulars at their clubs," he said. "The Romanian championship doesn't offer so many solutions and I had to nominate the best players in such circumstances."

Bosnian worries
The coach insisted that the Group 2 game against Bosnia-Herzegovina would be every bit as difficult as the match against leaders Norway. "It will be much more difficult than it was in the autumn of 2002, when we won 3-0 in Sarajevo," he said. "Now, the Bosnians have fantastic morale."

Romania squad
Lobont, Stelea, Dolha, Contra, Filipescu, Chivu, Iencsi, Radoi, Rat, Ogararu, Munteanu, Pancu, Codrea, Soava, Coman, Aliuta, Stoica, Plesan, Mutu, Bratu, Ganea, Ilie, Raducanu.