Cosmin Contra

Cosmin Contra
Cosmin Contra
Contra.JPG
Contra as a Getafe player
Personal information
Full name Cosmin Marius Contra
Date of birth 15 December 1975 (1975-12-15) (age 35)
Place of birth Timişoara, Romania
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Right back / Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1995 Politehnica Timişoara 51 (1)
1996–1999 Dinamo Bucureşti 101 (8)
1999–2001 Alavés 66 (5)
2001–2002 Milan 29 (3)
2002–2006 Atlético Madrid 34 (0)
2004–2005 West Bromwich (loan) 4 (0)
2005 → Poli Timişoara (loan) 14 (0)
2005–2006 Getafe (loan) 24 (0)
2006–2010 Getafe 60 (3)
2010–2011 FC Timişoara 22 (4)
National team
1996–2010 Romania 73 (7)
Teams managed
2010 FC Timişoara
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 November 2010.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 3 September 2010

Cosmin Marius Contra (born 15 December 1975) is a retired Romanian footballer who played mainly as a right defender.

Offensive-minded, he could also appear as a midfielder, and played professionally in four countries (his own included), mainly in Spain, where he appeared for three clubs, mainly Getafe CF, which he helped consolidate in the top division.

A Romanian international for nearly 15 years, Contra represented the nation in two European Championships.

Contents

Club career

Born in Timişoara, Contra started his professional career at local FC Politehnica, and moved in January 1996 to arch-rivals FC Dinamo Bucureşti.

After three 1/2 seasons with the capital-based team, he was transferred for $800.000 to Spain's Deportivo Alavés, where he was a vital player in the Basque side's UEFA Cup runner-up campaign, his performances earning him in a place in the season's UEFA Team of the Year;[1] he also added five La Liga goals in his two seasons combined.

Contra then managed yet another excellent move, as Italian giants A.C. Milan bought him, but his spell there lasted only one season. In September 2002 he changed clubs once more and went to Atlético de Madrid,[2] playing with the Colchoneros two seasons (though he played very rarely in his second year, due to a serious ankle condition[3]). A player of character, Contra was involved, while still with Milan, in an incident with Juventus FC player Edgar Davids,[4] this being pointed as one of the reasons for his quick departure from Milan.

Contra moved to West Bromwich Albion on loan in August 2004,[5] making his debut in a 2–1 League Cup defeat to Colchester United on 21 September.[6] His Premier League debut came almost two months later, when Albion lost 2–1 at home to Middlesbrough.[7] The loan was not particularly successful, with Contra playing just six times and receiving a red card in the last game of his spell, in a 5–0 home defeat to Liverpool. He then returned to the Romanian first division, at the club which brought him up as a player, Politehnica Timisoara, where he managed to be recalled to the national side due to his good performances.

In August 2005, Contra returned to Spain, penning a season-long loan with Getafe CF[8](which was made permanent at the season's end); with the side from the Madrid outskirts, he was used regularly, battling for position with David Cortés.

In the 2007–08 UEFA Cup, Contra scored in both legs in an epic quarterfinal bout against FC Bayern Munich, which ended in an extra time 4–4 aggregate elimination.[9] Earlier in the competition, he scored a penalty kick against AEK Athens,[10] appearing in that match even though his father had died just hours before. In September 2006, he also became a naturalized Spanish citizen.

In late January 2010, after being ousted from the team's lineups by manager Míchel, Contra left Getafe and returned to his country, rejoining hometown's FC Timişoara, initially until June. On 26 February 2010 he made his debut in his second spell for the club, scoring from a 30-yard a free kick against FC Politehnica Iaşi; two months later, against FC Steaua Bucureşti, he again found the net from two set pieces, one from the penalty spot; during his second spell at the club, he played mainly as a central midfielder.

On 29 August 2010, Contra scored again from a free kick and again against Steaua, in a late 1–1 equalizer.[11] One day after, his contract expired. On 9 September, he signed a new contract with the club and,[12] only six days later, was announced Timişoara's new player-manager.[13]

International career

During nearly 15 years, Contra played for Romania 72 times, netting seven goals. He appeared for his country at UEFA Euro 2000 and 2008.

On 1 April 2009, after a match with Austria, Contra announced his retirement from international football. On 30 August 2010, however, the 34-year old was recalled for two Euro 2012 qualifiers against Albania and Belarus.[14]

International goals

Scores and results table. Romania's goal tally first:
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 28 March 2001 Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia  Georgia 2–0 2–0 2002 World Cup qualification
2 14 November 2001 Stadionul Ghencea, Bucharest, Romania  Slovenia 1–1 1–1 2002 World Cup qualification – Playoffs
3 16 October 2002 Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg  Luxembourg 4–0 7–0 Euro 2004 qualifying
4 16 October 2002 Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg  Luxembourg 5–0 7–0 Euro 2004 qualifying
5 16 October 2002 Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg  Luxembourg 7–0 7–0 Euro 2004 qualifying
6 28 March 2007 Stadionul Ceahlăul, Piatra Neamţ, Romania  Luxembourg 2–0 3–0 Euro 2008 qualifying
7 6 June 2007 Stadionul Dan Păltinişanu, Timişoara, Romania  Slovenia 2–0 2–0 Euro 2008 qualifying

Honours

Club

  • Alavés:
    • UEFA Cup: Runner-up 2000–01

Individual

References

  1. ^ Contra voted Romania's finest; UEFA.com, 18 December 2001
  2. ^ "Contra deal goes through". BBC Sport. 2 September 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/2231833.stm. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  3. ^ Contra set for surgery; UEFA.com, 2 October 2003
  4. ^ Contra and Davids suspended after scuffle; UEFA.com, 12 August 2002
  5. ^ "Baggies snap up Contra". BBC Sport. 31 August 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/3615930.stm. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  6. ^ "Colchester vs WBA". West Bromwich Albion. 21 September 2004. http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10366~28712,00.html. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  7. ^ "WBA vs Middlesbrough". West Bromwich Albion. 14 November 2004. http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10366~27768,00.html. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  8. ^ Contra seals Spanish switch; UEFA.com, 4 August 2005
  9. ^ Crushed Contra defiant in defeat; UEFA.com, 11 April 2008
  10. ^ Getafe debut run goes on; UEFA.com, 21 February 2008
  11. ^ "Steaua - Poli 1-1" (in Romanian). Romanian Soccer. 30 August 2010. http://www.romaniansoccer.ro/stiri/20349/etapa-6-steaua--fc-timisoara-1-1.htm. 
  12. ^ "Contra: "M-am înţeles cu Poli. Sunt mulţumit că am rămas acasă" [Contra: "I understand Poli. I am glad i have stayed home"]" (in Romanian). FC Timişoara. 9 September 2010. http://violamania.gsp.ro/stiri/12156/exclusiv-contra-m-am-inteles-cu-poli-sunt-multumit-ca-am-ramas-acasa-).htm. 
  13. ^ ""Guriţă", Velcea, Rotariu şi Bratu în stafful Timişoarei / Contra all inclusive! [Contra announced new coach of Poli]" (in Romanian). Viola Mania. 15 September 2010. http://violamania.gsp.ro/stiri/12185/gurita-velcea-rotariu-si-bratu-in-stafful-timisoarei--contra-all-inclusive.htm. 
  14. ^ "Imediat după anunțul că se lasă de fotbal, Contra a fost convocat la "naţională"! [Immediately after retiring from football, Contra is called to the national team!]" (in Romanian). FC Timişoara. 30 August 2010. http://www.gsp.ro/international/euro-2012/cosmin-contra-convocat-la-nationala-204725.html. 

External links

Soccer ball.svg Romanian football portal

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