.jpg) Mocanu with Petrolul Ploiești in 1966 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 24 February 1942 | ||
| Place of birth | Constanța, Romania | ||
| Date of death | 18 June 2009(2009-06-18) (aged 67) | ||
| Place of death | Constanța, Romania | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1952–1956 | Locomotiva Constanța | ||
| 1956–1958 | Rafinăria Câmpina | ||
| 1959–1960 | Electrica Constanța | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1960–1962 | SNM Constanța | ||
| 1962–1963 | Chimia Făgăraș | ||
| 1963–1972 | Petrolul Ploiești | 201 | (6) |
| 1972–1974 | Omonia Nicosia | 8[b] | (0) |
| 1974–1976 | Petrolul Ploiești | ||
| Total | 209 | (6) | |
| International career | |||
| 1966–1971 | Romania[a] | 33 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1975 | Petrolul Ploiești | ||
| Steaua Mizil | |||
| 1984–1986 | Metalul Plopeni | ||
| 1991–2005 | Conpet Ploiești | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mihai Mocanu (24 February 1942 – 18 June 2009) was a Romanian professional football defender.
Mocanu was born on 24 February 1942 inConstanța, Romania and began playing football in 1952 at local clubLocomotiva.[3][4][5][6] He then played for Rafinăria Câmpina before returning to his hometown's Electrica to conclude his junior career.[3][4][5][6] In 1960 he started his senior career atSNM Constanța, playing for two seasons inDivizia B, subsequently going for one season atChimia Făgăraș in the same league.[3][4][5][6]
Mocanu joinedPetrolul Ploiești, making hisDivizia A debut on 25 August 1963 under coachIlie Oană in a 2–1 away loss toUTA Arad.[3][4][5][7][8] He helped theYellow Wolves win the1965–66 title, being used by coachConstantin Cernăianu in 26 matches.[3][4][5][6][9] He played three games for Petrolul in the first round of the1966–67 European Cup againstLiverpool that included a 3–1 victory, but they did not manage to qualify to the next round.[3][4][5][7][10] Mocanu also appeared in five games in which he scored one goal over the course of two seasons in theInter-Cities Fairs Cup.[3][4][5][7] On 12 December 1971, he made his last Divizia A appearance in Petrolul's 1–0 home loss toJiul Petroșani, having a total of 201 appearances with six goals scored in the competition.[3][4][5][11] Afterwards, Mocanu went to play inCyprus atOmonia Nicosia for two seasons with fellow RomanianConstantin Frățilă, winning the title and the cup in 1974.[2][3][4][5][12] He returned in Romania, playing another two seasons for Petrolul, this time in Divizia B, retiring in 1976.[3][5]
Mocanu played 31 games forRomania, making his debut on 1 June 1966 under coachIlie Oană in a 1–0 friendly loss toWest Germany.[1][13] He played four games in theEuro 1968 qualifiers and two during the successful1970 World Cup qualifiers.[1][14] CoachAngelo Niculescu used him for the entirety of all three games in the1970 World Cup final tournament which were a win againstCzechoslovakia and losses toEngland andBrazil, as his side failed to progress from their group.[1][14] In the 3–2 loss against the Brazilians, Mocanu's performance was appreciated in the duel with his direct opponentJairzinho.[1][5][6][15] He played three matches during the1972 Euro qualifiers, including his last appearance that took place on 22 September 1971 in a 4–0 away victory againstFinland.[1]
For representing his country at the1970 World Cup, Mocanu was decorated byPresident of RomaniaTraian Băsescu on 25 March 2008 with the Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" – (The Medal "The Sportive Merit") class III.[4][16][17]
Mocanu coachedPetrolul Ploiești for one year inDivizia B, and also worked at the club's youth center.[4][5][6][15][18] During his coaching career, he worked for Steaua Mizil andMetalul Plopeni, and from 1991 until 2005, he coachedConpet Ploiești, with all these spells occurring in the Romanian lower leagues.[4][5][6]
His son was also a footballer, playing for a while atConpet Ploiești with his father as coach.[7] Mocanu received the Honorary Citizen of Ploiești title.[4][5][7]
In July 2006, part of Mocanu's right leg was amputated after he was diagnosed withischemia.[4][5] He died on 18 June 2009, at the age of 67.[4][5][19]
Petrolul Ploiești
Omonia Nicosia
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