Nicolae Szoboszlay

Nicolae Szoboszlay
Personal information
Date of birth (1925-07-18)18 July 1925[1]
Place of birth Orăștie, Romania[1]
Date of death 2 January 2019(2019-01-02) (aged 93)[1]
Place of death Romania
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position Goalkeeper[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1943–1944 Universitatea Cluj[a] 0 (0)
1945–1946 Ferar Cluj
1946–1947 Universitatea Cluj 1 (0)
1947–1948 Dermagarand Târgu Mureș 35 (0)
1948 CSCA București 7 (0)
1949 Armata Iași
1950 Dermagarand Târgu Mureș 6 (0)
1950–1951 Universitatea Cluj 27 (0)
1952–1953 Armata Cluj
1953 Universitatea Cluj 5 (0)
Total 81 (0)
International career
1948 Romania B 1 (0)
Managerial career
1955–1956 Dermata Cluj
1957 Universitatea Cluj
1957–1958 Universitatea Cluj (assistant)
1958–1959 Dermata Cluj
1959–1961 Arieșul Turda
1962–1963 Universitatea Cluj (assistant)
1966–1967 Industria Sârmei Câmpia Turzii
1967 Universitatea Cluj
1968 Universitatea Cluj (assistant)
1969–1972 Arieșul Turda
1973–1974 Corvinul Hunedoara
1974–1976 CFR Cluj
1976–1985 Universitatea Cluj (juniors)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nicolae Szoboszlay (also known as Nicolae Săbăslău; 18 July 1925 – 2 January 2019) was a Romanian football goalkeeper and manager.[4][5]

Club career

Szoboszlay, nicknamed "Portarul Zburător" (The Flying Goalkeeper), was born on 18 July 1925 in Orăștie, Romania.[1][6] He began playing football at Universitatea Cluj during the hardest period of the club's history, as in 1940, the team moved from Cluj to Sibiu as a result of the Second Vienna Award, when the northern part of Transylvania was ceded to Hungary.[1][7][8] In 1945, after the end of the Second World War and the return of the northern part of Transylvania to Romania, "U" returned to its home in Cluj.[1][7][8] During that period he participated in a game played in Ploiești, which was postponed for one day due to a fog caused by the bombs thrown in the city by the United States Army Air Forces.[2] In 1944, because of his Hungarian origins, Szoboszlay was forced to work for two months at the București-Craiova railway.[2][8]

In 1945, Szoboszlay joined Ferar Cluj, but returned one year later to "U" Cluj in Divizia A, only to leave again in 1947 to play for Dermagarand Târgu Mureș in the same league.[3][9][10] In 1948 he played for CSCA București under the name "Nicolae Săbăslău", as the person who was sent to Bucharest to make his ID wrongly wrote his name that way.[3][8][11] On 21 November 1948 he played under coach Colea Vâlcov in the first ever CSCA București – Dinamo București derby.[1][7][8][12] Subsequently, Szoboszlay went to Divizia C side Armata Iași and then made a comeback to Dermagarand Târgu Mureș in 1950.[3][9] In the second half of the same year, he had his third spell at "U" Cluj, helping them gain promotion to Divizia A.[3][9][13][14]

In 1952, he joined Divizia B club Armata Cluj.[9] There, in May 1953 after one game, the team's coach Elemer Hirsch collapsed on his way to the team bus, and Szoboszlay tried to give him first aid, but Hirsch died in his arms.[15] Szoboszlay ended his career in 1953, after playing five Divizia A matches for Universitatea Cluj.[3][9][16]

International career

On 24 October 1948, Szoboszlay played for Romania B in a 4–0 loss to Hungary B.[5][17]

Managerial career

After he retired from his playing career, Szoboszlay worked as a manager and as an assistant coach.[2][5] His coaching career began in 1955 at Divizia B team Dermata Cluj.[5][9] In 1957, he went to Universitatea Cluj, first as head coach, and then as an assistant of Ștefan Kovács, together gaining first-league promotion in the 1957–58 season.[1][5][18][19] In 1958, he returned to Dermata as head coach, helping them earn promotion from Divizia C to the second league.[5][9] Subsequently, Szoboszlay worked for Arieșul Turda which he helped reach the quarter-finals in the 1960–61 Cupa României, but was replaced afterwards, yet the club managed to win the competition without him.[2][5] In 1962, he returned as an assistant coach of Constantin Rădulescu at "U" Cluj.[20] In 1966, Szoboszlay served as head coach for one year in Divizia B at Industria Sârmei Câmpia Turzii, returning afterwards to Universitatea Cluj in first league football for one and a half years as head coach but also as an assistant of Constantin Teașcă.[9][21] From 1969 to 1972, he coached Arieșul Turda, leading them to promotion from the third league to the second in the 1970–71 season.[5][9] In 1972, he led Divizia B club Corvinul Hunedoara for one year.[5][9] Subsequently, from 1974 to 1976, Szoboszlay worked as head coach for CFR Cluj in the first league.[5][9][3] He has a total of 107 matches as a manager in the Romanian top-division, Divizia A, consisting of 36 victories, 29 draws and 42 losses.[22] Between 1976 and 1985, Szoboszlay was the coordinator of the Center for Children and Juniors at Universitatea Cluj where he taught generations of players such as Remus Câmpeanu, Emil Petru, Vasile Suciu, Septimiu Câmpeanu, Alpar Meszaros, Zsolt Muzsnay, Ioan Sabău and Tiberiu Bălan.[2][8]

Personal life and death

On 18 July 2013, on the occasion of his 88th birthday, Szoboszlay was awarded the Honorary Citizen of Cluj County title.[4][23] A book about him was written by Cristian Aszalos, titled Ultimul cavaler al fotbalului romantic, Nicolae Szoboszlay (The last knight of romantic football, Nicolae Szoboszlay), which was released on 26 November 2016.[24]

Szoboszlay died on 2 January 2019 at age 93.[1][4][5]

Honours

Player

Universitatea Cluj

Manager

Universitatea Cluj (assistant)

Dermata Cluj

Arieșul Turda

Notes

  1. ^ The 1940–41 Divizia A was the last season before World War II and the 1946–47 Divizia A was the first one after, so the appearances and goals scored during this period for Universitatea Cluj are not official.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Doliu în fotbalul românesc! A murit ultimul supraviețuitor din primul Derby de România" [Mourning in Romanian football! The last survivor of the first Romanian Derby died] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Fotbal cu ciocolata" [Football with chocolate] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Nicolae Săbăslău profile". Labtof. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "A murit ultimul supraviețuitor din primul derby Steaua – Dinamo" [The last survivor of the first Steaua – Dinamo derby died] (in Romanian). Digisport.ro. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Elhunyt a futball szerelmese" [A football lover has died] (in Hungarian). Szabadsag.ro. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Două povești de senzație ale lui Nicolae Szoboszlay, "Ultimul Cavaler al fotbalului romantic". Amintirile singurului supraviețuitor din primul Derby de România" [Two sensational stories by Nicolae Szoboszlay, "The Last Knight of Romantic Football". Memories of the only survivor of the first Romanian Derby] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
    "Nicolae Szoboszlay profile" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  7. ^ a b c "S-a stins "portarul zburător"! Ultimul supravieţuitor al primului derby Steaua – Dinamo şi al echipei lui "U" Cluj plecată în bejenie la Sibiu nu mai este printre noi" [The "flying goalkeeper" has died! The last survivor of the first Steaua – Dinamo derby and the team of "U" Cluj that left in Sibiu is no longer among us] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "A murit Nicolae Szoboszlay, ultimul fotbalist al echipei U Cluj care pleca în exil la Sibiu, după semnarea Dictatului de la Viena" [Nicolae Szoboszlay died, the last footballer of the U Cluj's team who went into exile in Sibiu, after the Vienna Dictation was signed] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Întâlnire cu ultimul cavaler al fotbalului romantic" [Meeting the last knight of romantic football] (in Romanian). Fcucluj.ro. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Universitatea Cluj 1946-1947 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  11. ^ "EXCLUSIV Unicul supraviețuitor al primului derby Steaua – Dinamo se ia de Daum: "Să ridice mâna și să se ceară afară"" [EXCLUSIVE The only survivor of the first Steaua – Dinamo derby criticizes Daum: "Raise your hand and ask outside"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  12. ^ "Steaua vs Dinamo Liga1 1948–1949". Labtof. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  13. ^ a b "Universitatea Cluj 1950 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  14. ^ "Universitatea Cluj 1951 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  15. ^ "Elemer Hirsch, aristocratul care s-a stins în iarbă" [Elemer Hirsch, the aristocrat who passed away on the grass] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Universitatea Cluj 1953 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  17. ^ "Nicolae Săbăslău profile". 11v11. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  18. ^ a b "Universitatea Cluj 1957-1958 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  19. ^ "Universitatea Cluj 1957 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  20. ^ "Universitatea Cluj 1962-1963 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  21. ^ "Universitatea Cluj 1967-1968 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
    "Universitatea Cluj 1968-1969 season" (in Romanian). 4everucluj.ro.
  22. ^ "Nicolae Szoboszlay manager statistics" (in Romanian). Labtof.ro. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  23. ^ "Cavaler la curtea Universității Cluj. Nicolae Szoboszlay a fost desemnat azi "Cetățean de onoare al județului Cluj"" [Knight at the court of the University of Cluj. Nicolae Szoboszlay was named today "Honorary Citizen of Cluj County"] (in Romanian). Stiridesport.ro. 18 July 2013. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  24. ^ "Cartea despre Nicolae Szoboszlay va fi lansată sâmbătă, la Cluj Arena. Invitaţi speciali şi discursuri emoţionante, la un alt episod din istoria lui "U"" [The book about Nicolae Szoboszlay will be launched on Saturday, at Cluj Arena. Special guests and emotional speeches at another episode in the history of "U"] (in Romanian). Ziardecluj.ro. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
    "Lansare de carte despre Nicolae Szoboszlay și fotbalul romantic de altădată" [Book launch about Nicolae Szoboszlay and the romantic football of past times] (in Romanian). Clujulcultural.ro. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
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