Dan Alexa

Dan Alexa
	Alexa in 2004
Personal information
Date of birth	28 October 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Caransebeș, Romania
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Tunari (head coach)
Youth career
	CSȘ Caransebeș
	LPS Banatul Timișoara
Senior career*
Years	Team
1998	UM Timișoara
1999–2001	Rocar București
2001	Fulgerul Bragadiru
2002	Universitatea Craiova
2002–2004	Dinamo București
2004–2005	Beijing Hyundai
2006	Dinamo București
2006–2011	Politehnica Timișoara
2011–2012	Rapid București
2012–2014	Anorthosis Famagusta
2017	Viitorul Caransebeș
Total
International career
2000	Romania U21
2004–2011	Romania
Managerial career
2014–2015	ACS Poli Timișoara
2015–2016	Rapid București
2016	ASA Târgu Mureș
2016–2017	Concordia Chiajna
2017–2019	Dunărea Călărași
2019	Astra Giurgiu
2020	Rapid București
2020–2021	ASU Politehnica Timișoara
2021–2022	CSM Reșița
2022–2023	FC Brașov
2023	Botoșani
2024–	Tunari
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Dan Alexa (born 28 October 1979) is a Romanian football manager and former footballer who played as a midfielder, currently in charge of Liga II club Tunari.

Club career

Early career

Although born in Banat, Alexa was considered disposable while at UM Timișoara in 1998, and he moved to Rocar București where he helped his side reach the 2000–01 Romanian Cup final.

Dinamo București

After several years with short spells at FC Timișoara and Universitatea Craiova, Alexa got his big chance as Dinamo București decided to transfer him. His performances were of a high caliber throughout the two seasons he spent there, but he also got a reputation for being an extremely aggressive player. In two years, he scored 1 goal in 47 appearances.

Beijing Hyundai

His consequent move to Beijing Hyundai saw him leave Romania for two years. In a friendly match against Real Madrid he was selected man of the match.^[1]

Dinamo București

He returned to Dinamo in 2006 just for a few months playing 13 matches, scoring one goal.

Politehnica Timișoara

In the summer of the same year, Politehnica boss Marian Iancu decided to bring Alexa – by then, a real "persona non-grata" in Timișoara, due to his pledge of loyalty to Dinamo – back to the city where he started his career, together with teammate Ştefan Grigorie.^[2] The fans protested at Alexa's arrival in Timișoara through several banners and chants, but the club's management remained unimpressed. Alexa himself stated that he had made those statements out of necessity and that he will do all he can to prove to the fans that he is a real professional. A few months after his arrival, Alexa became the captain of Poli. He is nicknamed "the surgeon" because he inflicted many injuries requiring surgery to opposing players. On 19 April 2010, he scored the equaliser goal in the 98th minute against CFR Cluj and kept Poli in the battle for the title, however Poli finished 5th, losing their last three matches.

Rapid București

On 4 June 2011, the former captain of Politehnica Timișoara signed a two-year contract with Rapid București following the relegation of Poli.^[3]

Anorthosis Famagusta

On 24 June 2012, Dan Alexa signed with the Cyprus First Division football club, Anorthosis Famagusta, on a free transfer. He signed a reported €250,000/yr contract with the club.^[4]

International career

Alexa was first called up by the national team in 2004. Later in 2010, he was called up for a friendly match against Italy after a six-year absence.^[5] Alexa scored his first goals for Romania in a 2–2 draw against Ukraine at Cyprus International Cup 2011.^[6] However, Romania were eliminated from the tournament, after losing on penalty kicks 4–2.

Managerial career

After he ended his playing career, Alexa became a manager. His first job was at ACS Poli Timișoara, in March 2014. Since 23 August 2017 he was manager of Dunărea Călărași until summer of 2019. Then he was named manager of Astra Giurgiu.

Career statistics

Romania
Year	Apps	Goals
2004	1	0
2005	0	0
2006	0	0
2007	0	0
2008	0	0
2009	0	0
2010	1	0
2011	4	2
Total	6	2

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	8 February 2011	Paralimni Stadium, Paralimni, Cyprus	Ukraine	1–2	2–2	Friendly
2	8 February 2011	Paralimni Stadium, Paralimni, Cyprus	Ukraine	2–2	2–2	Friendly

Managerial statistics

As of 27 April 2024^[7]

Team	From	To	Record
Team	From	To	G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
ACS Poli Timișoara	17 March 2014	22 August 2015	48	21	14	13	57	41	+16	043.75
Rapid București	27 August 2015	20 July 2016	34	22	7	5	55	21	+34	064.71
ASA Târgu Mureș	7 August 2016	22 December 2016	23	8	3	12	32	38	−6	034.78
Concordia Chiajna	23 December 2016	18 July 2017	20	6	6	8	20	25	−5	030.00
Dunărea Călărași	22 August 2017	12 June 2019	76	36	21	19	95	63	+32	047.37
Astra Giurgiu	13 June 2019	10 October 2019	13	5	4	4	16	14	+2	038.46
Rapid București	11 March 2020	6 August 2020	5	1	3	1	4	4	+0	020.00
ASU Politehnica Timișoara	11 November 2020	17 June 2021	19	6	6	7	20	24	−4	031.58
CSM Reșița	30 June 2021	10 June 2022	32	25	6	1	91	16	+75	078.13
FC Brașov	23 June 2022	8 August 2023	27	13	7	7	58	31	+27	048.15
Botoșani	1 September 2023	2 November 2023	9	0	3	6	10	24	−14	000.00
Tunari	18 March 2024	present	6	1	1	4	8	12	−4	016.67
Total			312	144	81	87	466	313	+153	046.15

Honours

Player

UM Timișoara

Divizia C: 1998–99

Rocar București

Cupa României runner-up: 2000–01

Dinamo București

Politehnica Timișoara

Cupa României runner-up: 2006–07, 2008–09

Coach

ACS Poli Timișoara

Liga II: 2014–15

Rapid București

Liga II: 2015–16

Dunărea Călărași

Liga II: 2017–18

CSM Reșița

Liga III: 2021–22

References

^ "Comentand la rece etapa a 27-a: Cine sunt premiantii, cine sunt perdantii". Cronica Română. 17 May 2006. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2009.
^ "Pe minus" [On minus] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 22 August 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
^ "Alexa and Surdu signed with Rapid". Gazeta Sporturilor. 4 June 2011.
^ "Rapid a pierdut un super jucator". Sport.ro. 24 June 2012.
^ "Alexa returns to national team". Analog TV. 18 November 2010.
^ "Romania – Ukraine 2–2". Gazeta Sporturilor. 8 February 2011.
^ "Nou antrenor la Dunărea. Dan Alexa a semnat contract pe un an cu gruparea de pe malul Borcei" (in Romanian). adevarul.ro. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.

External links

Dan Alexa at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
Dan Alexa at National-Football-Teams.com

[1] "Comentand la rece etapa a 27-a: Cine sunt premiantii, cine sunt perdantii". Cronica Română. 17 May 2006. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2009.

[2] "Pe minus" [On minus] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 22 August 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2020.

[3] "Alexa and Surdu signed with Rapid". Gazeta Sporturilor. 4 June 2011.

[4] "Rapid a pierdut un super jucator". Sport.ro. 24 June 2012.

[5] "Alexa returns to national team". Analog TV. 18 November 2010.

[6] "Romania – Ukraine 2–2". Gazeta Sporturilor. 8 February 2011.

[7] "Nou antrenor la Dunărea. Dan Alexa a semnat contract pe un an cu gruparea de pe malul Borcei" (in Romanian). adevarul.ro. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.

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