I'm ex-League of Ireland star who lost over three years with injury – now I'm finding my feet at storied club in Europe
CRISTIAN MAGERUSAN is relishing his Romanian rejuvenation.
Magerusan has played a key part in CSA Steaua Bucharesti's bid to win the country's second tier, even though they cannot get promoted.
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Cristian Magerusan played for the likes of Bohemians, Longford Town and Bray Wanderers
Credit: Sportsfile - Subscription
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Now he is at CSA Steaua Bucharesti
And a move into full-time
football
in his native country has helped him reach peak fitness after losing 3½ years of his career in
Magerusan moved to Ireland aged 13, although his entry into the senior ranks was delayed by a
compensation
demand by the Gheorghe Hagi Academy.
He went on to play for Bohemians, Longford Town and
In January, he was signed by Steaua until the
summer
with the club having an option to extend for a further 12 months.
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He has scored twice in five starts and five substitute appearances to leave Steaua second in the play-off round with two games to go. Ordinarily, second would be enough to win promotion. But the old
army
club is still owned by the country's
Even so, Magerusan said there is no lack of motivation as they bid to snatch the league title from FK Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc.
Magerusan told SunSport: 'I haven't won silverware since underage level so it is a great motivation for me.
'Because the club doesn't have a private owner the club can't go into the top league. They are trying to do something about it but they are trying to do something about it for the last three years.'
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It is not the only complication with two separate outfits claiming the legacy of the club which won the European Cup and European Super Cup in 1986.
In 1998, the football side of the club was taken into private ownership but the legality of that was disputed.
Cork City fans watch League of Ireland clash against Dundalk in cinema
Eight years ago, Magerusan's employers won a key judgement in the Romanian
courts
which resulted in their rivals — who are in the top division — being forced to change their name to FCSB.
That also ensured that the Ministry of Defence-owned club — which relaunched again in the Fourth Division in 2017 — were assigned the domestic and international honours won up until 1998. But
Uefa
lists FCSB as being the champions of
Europe
39 years ago. If all of that is not confusing, what is clear is that moving home — although Bucharest is 450km from Bistrita where he spent his early childhood — has been good for the
striker
.
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In 2018, Magerusan scored within four minutes of his first-team debut for Bohs and netted twice more in five further league and cup outings before the end of the season.
He was primed for a big season in 2019 but broke his metatarsal three times and tore his cruciate ligament twice with an attempt to avoid
surgery
the second time around ultimately not working out.
His
next
competitive match was in April 2022, his first three outings off the bench for Longford all coming in the 90th minute as he was eased back in after so long out.
His eye for goal had not deserted him. In his first non-cameo role, in May, he scored — as well as providing an assist — against Cobh Ramblers.
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In June, he bagged a brace against
Galway
United.
'BIG CHANGE'
He missed the start of the following season but netted ten times in 19 games for a team which finished third from bottom in the First Division.
That form led to a move to Bray, for whom he scored ten times in league and play-off appearances in a promotion push which fell short against
In the
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Magerusan said: 'It's a big change football-wise and fitness-wise, going from part-time to full-time.
'I wasn't sure how it was going to be because of the injuries I have had but it has been good for me. When I was at Bohs they weren't full-time so it is my first time being full-time.
'It was always hard juggling football with
work
in Ireland. I was getting injured a lot more easily but all I've had here are niggles which have kept me out for two or three days.'
'I do miss my family and I am looking forward to seeing them but the offer would have to be good because I won't lie, the money here is great!"
The football, he says, is slower but more intense, with players better on the ball, and he is getting used to the different mentality having adopted an Irish psyche from his decade living here.
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He said: 'It's hard to explain but it's more from the heart in Ireland.'
Other differences include staying in a hotel the night before every home game.
His game-intelligence has, he believes, improved from working alongside experienced players like Adrian Popa, a starter for
Romania
at Euro 2016.
Although crowds have dwindled from when they could attract five figures, they play out of an impressive €95million 31,254-seater stadium rebuilt four years ago.
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And, although reduced in number, the club still has some fanatical followers.
He said: 'There are maybe 1,000 fans who sing the whole time. They are crazy.'
Whatever happens, in terms of whether or not they win the league or Steaua exercise their option to keep him, the move has been good for Magerusan.
And he is excited about what happens after a summer break with friends including his ex-Bohs team-mate Danny Grant, now at
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'There have been no talks yet but we have two games left.
'I have loved it and now I have seen what full-time is like, I know it's what I want to do.
'I am 25 now, I haven't hit my potential, I know that, but I am going towards my peak and I know I can get better. I have been playing against smarter defenders here and that has already helped me to improve.'
MONEY MATTERS
How he has fared in Romania might prompt a top-flight club here to move for him when, perhaps, his previous injury profile might have put people off.
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And he does not rule out coming back to Ireland where his mam, dad and brother all still live, but admitted there are certain things he would have to consider.
He said: 'I do miss my
family
and I am looking forward to seeing them but the offer would have to be good because I won't lie, the
money
here is great!
'And the other thing is the
weather
in Ireland is killing me.
'I came to Romania in January and there was proper
snow
, up to my knees, for a week but now it's 25 degrees.
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'And I think it's only rained once since January.
'It makes you feel so much better when you wake up in the morning when it's not raining.'
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