After the Romanian women’s national football team’s 2-1 home victory over the Ukraine last Thursday, which considerably improved their chances to participate in their first final tournament in history, EURO 2017, what could become the "golden week of the Romanian women’s football" continued in Cluj-Napoca with a major event on Friday.
Our team’s win in the last but one match in the qualifying group was followed in the morning of September 16 with the inauguration, at "Unirea" sports facility in Cluj’s district of Mănăștur, of a new women’s youth football competition, as part of a new phase of the "Football and Femininity" project. Special guests to the event were Emily Shaw, UEFA Women’s Football Development Manager, and Allan Hansen, Chairman of the HatTrick Committee and member in the UEFA Executive Committee. They were accompanied by Răzvan Burleanu, President of the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), FRF Secretary General Radu Vișan and FRF Deputy Secretary general Gabriel Bodescu.
The presence of the guests from UEFA also had another purpose: during a special ceremony held at 10:30 a.m., at Grand Hotel Italia in Cluj-Napoca, they handed the Romanian Football Federation the UEFA HatTrick Award for the development of the Romanian women’s football through the "Football and Femininity" project. Along with chairpersons of county football associations and presidents of women’s football clubs, the audience stood in ovation for minutes when the women’s squad, which are close to a historic achievement, made a surprise appearance. Mirel Albon’s girls attended the whole ceremony and were congratulated by all speakers, from Alin Cioban, Chairman of the Women’s Football Committee of FRF and FRF President Răzvan Burleanu to the two special guests from UEFA.
The Romanian women’s team has one more step to take to EURO 2017: all they need is another victory in the match they will play Tuesday, September 20, on the same “Dr. Constantin Rădulescu” stadium in Cluj-Napoca. A win against Greece, along with the results in the other qualifying groups, could mean the direct qualification, for the first time, for a final tournament!
"We must note that FRF has made remarkable advancements in launching the strategic project for the development of Romanian football and in this project, "Football and Femininity". Please, accept my congratulations and the HatTrick Award from UEFA. I am confident that this will be a successful project in the future, too."
Allan Hansen, Chairman of the UEFA HatTrick Committee
"I came to Romania 6 or 7 years ago and I didn’t expect to be here 6 years later handing this award. I think that the progress is remarkable and it is not a work of chance. We know that success fuels further success. We were impressed by the efforts made by the Romanian Football Federation to develop women’s football and I expect a future full of success in this direction."
Emily Shaw, UEFA Women’s Football Development Manager
"It is an honor for me and for the Romanian Football Federation to receive this extremely important award. Although it comes in recognition of the efforts made so far to develop the Romanian women’s football, in fact, it rewards our current projects and confirms our future directions. UEFA’s support and good practices that we will benefit from, along with the enthusiasm and determination demonstrated by each of us all over the country, in the football field and at institutional level, will confirm our medium- and long-term results."
Răzvan Burleanu, President of the Romanian Football Federation
County Football Associations with outstanding results in the "Football and Femininity" program:
- AJF Teleorman, Chairman Stan Prodan
- AJF Suceava, Chairman Ciprian Anton
- AJF Alba, Chairman Cristian Petropulos
- AJF Vaslui, Chairman Bogdan Gheorghiță
Participants:
Mirel Albon, Technical Coordinator
Marcel Popa, Adrian Cioacă, Mihai Tătăranu, Ion Bărbăcioru, Marcel Irimie, Ivan Marian, Laszlo Bela, George Ruscău, Irina Codrea, Ioana Bortan and Gabriela Iacobiță
"Football and Femininity" in figures:
From 2012 to 2015, the program involved:
- Over 10,000 players, registered on the www.fotbalfeminin.ro platform, who played in various competitions
- Over 500 technical staff
- 40 players who represented Romania in international Under 15 and Under 17 competitions and matches
- All coaches of the women’s national squads
- 10 active players currently enrolled in training for obtaining the UEFA B license acted as coaches in the project
