Ion Geolgău reflects on career after ending FRF role

Ion Geolgău gave an exclusive interview marking a significant milestone in his football life, reflecting on his debut for Universitatea Craiova and subsequent career. The discussion coincided with the end of his professional activity at the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), which concluded on November 7, 2025. Geolgău currently serves as an LPF observer and football section coordinator at Atlas Craiova.

Sources present conflicting dates regarding Geolgău's official debut for Universitatea Craiova against UTA. One record states the match occurred on November 7, 1976, when he was 15 years and 9 months old and his team won 3-1. Another source lists the date of his first official match as November 7, 1975. Despite this discrepancy, records agree he was 15 years and 9 months old at the time of his official debut. Silviu Stănescu had recommended him to the club when he was nearly 15.

Geolgău played 304 matches for Universitatea Craiova, scoring 43 goals. He won two championships with the club. His international club experience included eight goals in European cups. On November 7, 1979, he played in a match against Leeds in England that Universitatea Craiova won 2-0.

Universitatea Craiova reached the UEFA Cup semifinals in 1983 after drawing 0-0 and 1-1 against Benfica. Geolgău stated he learned he would play right back in the return leg only when coach Tică Oțet announced the lineup. In domestic media coverage of his early career, writer Adrian Păunescu mistakenly referred to him as Gheorghiță Geolgău in an article about his debut because he did not know the player's real first name.

For the Romania national team, Geolgău earned 24 caps and scored three goals. He scored the qualifying goal against Bratislava for EURO 1984 but was excluded from the final tournament squad by Mircea Lucescu. Geolgău claimed that pressure from Securitatea increased significantly after Lucescu arrived at Dinamo around late 1985 or 1986. He also stated that Nicu Ceaușescu managed Gică Hagi's transfer to Sportul in 1983 despite Hagi having arrived in Craiova.

Following his playing career, Geolgău worked as a coach in the Faroe Islands and Iceland between 1997 and 2004. He later returned to administrative roles within Romanian football before concluding his tenure at the FRF in late 2025.