Emil Gabriel Jula (3 January 1980 â 22 August 2020) was a Romanian professional footballer who played as a striker and coach.
Jula was born on 3 January 1980 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania and began playing junior-level football at local club Universitatea. He made his Divizia A debut on 17 October 1998, playing for "U" under the guidance of coach Tiberiu Poraczky in a 3âÂÂ1 away loss to NaÃÂional BucureÃÂti. The team was relegated at the end of the season and he went on loan to Unirea Dej.
In 2000, Jula had to put his career on hold for approximately one year due to military service. During this time he was deployed to maintain order at various events, including at a Cluj derby match between his former side, Universitatea, and CFR Cluj in Divizia B. Following this period, he weighed 120 kilograms and was considering quitting football. However, an offer from Divizia C club, Cuprirom Abrud, changed his mind. After seeing in a newspaper that his former club, "U" Cluj was organizing a trial, Jula chose to participate and coach Ioan SabÃÂu kept him in the squad for the 2003âÂÂ04 Divizia B season.
Three years later, Jula went back to first league football, as he left "U" free of contract and signed with OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi where he worked with coach Petre GrigoraÃÂ. He scored his first goal for OÃÂelul on 30 September 2006 when he opened the score in a 2âÂÂ1 home victory against UTA Arad. On 22 October he scored the victory goal in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Steaua BucureÃÂti, netting 14 goals until the end of the season, including a hat-trick in a success over ArgeàPiteÃÂti and two doubles in a draw against Rapid BucureÃÂti and a 2âÂÂ1 victory against Dinamo BucureÃÂti.
He made his debut in European competitions, helping The Steelworkers win the 2007 Intertoto Cup, eliminating Slavija IstoÃÂno Sarajevo and Trabzonspor, netting a brace against the first and one goal against the latter. Subsequently, OÃÂelul qualified to the UEFA Cup second round where they were defeated 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate by Lokomotiv Sofia.
In the 2007âÂÂ08 season, Jula was the league's second top scorer with 17 goals, having four less than Dinamo's Ionel DÃÂnciulescu, most notably managing a hat-trick in a victory against Gloria BuzÃÂu. He also netted a brace in the loss to BuzÃÂu from the first half of the season, and scored three more doubles in victories against Dacia Mioveni, Pandurii Târgu Jiu and CeahlÃÂul Piatra NeamÃÂ.
His performances earned him a move to German club Energie Cottbus which paid OÃÂelul â¬700,000 for his transfer, giving Jula a â¬300,000 yearly salary, and there he was a colleague of compatriots Sergiu Radu and Ovidiu BurcÃÂ. He made his Bundesliga debut on 30 August 2008 when coach Bojan Praà ¡nikar sent him in the 78th minute to replace Ervin Skela in a 1âÂÂ0 loss to Borussia Dortmund. He scored his first goal on 29 November in a 3âÂÂ1 victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Jula netted a total of four goals in his first season, including a brace in a 3âÂÂ0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the last round which helped his side reach the relegation play-off where they were defeated by Nürnberg. In the following season he managed 12 goals and 12 assists, being alongside two other players the top assist provider of the 2. Bundesliga. In his last season he scored 10 goals and provided nine assists.
Jula has a total of 100 matches, 29 goals and 24 assists for Energie Cottbus in all competitions.
In the summer of 2011, Jula signed with MSV Duisburg where he scored four goals in the 2011âÂÂ12 2. Bundesliga season.
In 2012, Duisburg loaned him to Cypriot side, Anorthosis Famagusta where he was teammates with fellow Romanian Dan Alexa. In January 2013, he joined VfL Osnabrück where the highlight was a double netted during a match against Hansa Rostock, which ended with a 3âÂÂ2 victory after a comeback from 0âÂÂ2.
In 2013, Jula returned to Romania, being convinced to sign with CeahlÃÂul Piatra Neamàby coach Vasile MiriuÃÂÃÂ, managing to score on his first game since his return, a 2âÂÂ1 loss to Steaua BucureÃÂti. In June 2014 he made a comeback to "U" Cluj but left the team in September after only five games to sign with OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi. During his second spell with OÃÂelul, on 7 December 2014, Jula made his last appearance in the Romanian first league, playing in a 2âÂÂ0 home loss to ASA Târgu MureÃÂ, totaling 89 matches with 34 goals in the competition.
In 2015 he went to play for TuS Bersenbrück in the German lower leagues where three years later, he ended his career. After he retired, Jula worked as Bersenbrück's assistant coach.
He died of a heart attack on 22 August 2020, aged 40.
OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi