Emil Petru (28 September 1939 â 1 March 1995) was a Romanian professional footballer who played as a midfielder. In his career, he played mainly for Universitatea Cluj and represented Romania in the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Petru was born on 28 September 1939 in TârnÃÂveni, Romania and began playing junior-level football in 1949 at ÃÂtiinÃÂa Cluj. He made his Divizia A debut under coach Nicolae Munteanu on 7 October 1956 in a 3âÂÂ1 away loss against Dianmo BraÃÂov, and also appeared in an 8âÂÂ0 loss to Dinamo BucureÃÂti by the end of the season. The team was relegated at the end of his first season, but Petru stayed with the club, helping it get promoted after one season with 12 goals scored in 16 appearances. This included a hat-trick against Locomotiva Arad, four goals in an away game against Tractorul BraÃÂov and a brace in a Cluj derby against CFR Cluj. In the following five seasons, Petru was a constant presence for the team in the first league, the highlights of this period were two fourth positions in the 1960âÂÂ61 and 1962âÂÂ63 seasons, and also eight goals scored in the 1961âÂÂ62 season.
In 1963, he joined Dinamo BucureÃÂti. In his first season, Petru helped them win The Double, coaches Traian Ionescu and Nicolae Dumitru using him in 23 league games in which he scored eight goals, and he also played the entire match in the 5âÂÂ3 win over rivals Steaua BucureÃÂti in the Cupa României final. In the same season he made four appearances in the European Cup, scoring one goal in a 2âÂÂ0 victory against East Germany champion Motor Jena which helped the club advance to the next phase where they were eliminated by Real Madrid. In the following season, Petru won another title with The Red Dogs, contributing with four goals scored in the 19 matches he was used by coach Angelo Niculescu, including finding the net in a 2âÂÂ1 derby win against Steaua. He also played four games in the 1964âÂÂ65 European Cup, scoring one goal that helped them eliminate Sliema Wanderers, the campaign ending in the following round as they were defeated by Inter Milan.
After three seasons spent at Dinamo, Petru returned to "U" Cluj where on 11 June 1967 he made his last Divizia A appearance in a 4âÂÂ2 away victory over Dinamo PiteÃÂti, totaling 175 games with 31 goals in the competition. Afterwards, he went for the last two seasons of his career at CFR Cluj, helping the club earn promotion to the first league in his second season.
Petru played seven games and scored two goals for Romania, making his debut on 30 September 1962 under coach Constantin TeaÃÂcàin a 4âÂÂ0 friendly victory against Morocco. In his following game, also a friendly, he scored a brace in an eventual 3âÂÂ2 loss to East Germany. He then played in both legs of the 7âÂÂ3 loss on aggregate to Spain in the 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying preliminary round. His last appearance for the national team took part on 9 October 1963, a 0âÂÂ0 draw in a friendly against Turkey.
Petru also played for Romania's Olympic team, scoring a brace in a 3âÂÂ2 loss to Denmark during the successful 1964 Summer Olympics qualifiers. At the final tournament in Tokyo, coach Silviu PloeÃÂteanu used him in a 3âÂÂ1 group stage victory against Mexico, a 2âÂÂ0 loss to Hungary in the quarter-finals, and in a 3âÂÂ0 win over Yugoslavia which helped the team finish in fifth place.
Dr. Constantin RÃÂdulescu described Emil Petru as:"Raised at "U", one of the biggest players of Cluj and the country. He played in the junior, youth and senior national teams in numerous matches. Tall with a princely outfit, head held high, peripheral view (for which the coaches of the little ones strive enormously) which he had natively, exceptional technique, as well as the tactical timing of the execution. Relentless right-footed kicks (he scored goals from long 25âÂÂ30 meter distances), excellent header by lobbing the ball from a diving jump, with perfect mental and moral balance (he played against Real Madrid as well as against Sticla Turda). He had a tendency to gain weight which is why he had a short career."
Marius Bretan said about him:"Attacking midfielder similar to Dobrin, complete, with extraordinary qualities."
Petru was a graduate of the Faculty of Law from Cluj. After retiring from his playing career, he worked as a coach, eventually becoming the coordinator of the Universitatea Cluj's Children and Junior Center. Petru died on 1 March 1995 at age 55.
ÃÂtiinÃÂa Cluj
Dinamo BucureÃÂti
CFR Cluj