Silviu Bălace

Silviu Constantin Bălace (born 11 November 1978) is a Romanian retired professional footballer and currently the manager of Poli Timișoara. Although primarily a left back, Bălace has played as a left winger as well and is known for his overlapping runs on the left side, his pace and his technical ability.

Silviu Bălace
Personal information
Full name Silviu Constantin Bălace
Date of birth (1978-11-11) 11 November 1978
Place of birth Caracal, Romania
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position(s) Left back, Left winger
Club information
Current team
 Poli Timișoara (manager)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 FC U Craiova 9 (0)
1999 → FCM Târgoviște (loan) 8 (0)
2001 → Rocar București (loan) 22 (0)
2002 CSM Reșița 13 (1)
2003–2006 Politehnica Timișoara 95 (8)
2007 Dinamo București 8 (0)
2007–2011 FC Vaslui 67 (3)
2010 → FC U Craiova (loan) 15 (0)
2011–2012 Turnu Severin 18 (2)
2012–2015 Poli Timișoara 38 (2)
Total 293 (16)
Teams managed
2019– Poli Timișoara
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 May 2015

Club career

Early years

Born in Caracal, Bălace started out as a trainee at Universitatea Craiova. On 24 May 1997, he made his first team debut, coming as a substitute in a 2–0 loss against Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț.[1] Shortly after, when he was 18 years old, Bălace suffered an ankle fracture which kept him out from the field for almost a year and a half.[2] After he recovered he was sent out on loan to Chindia Târgoviște in 1999 in order to gain experience. In January 2001, Bălace was loaned out to Rocar București for twelve months. Following his third failed attempt to establish himself in the first team, Bălace signed a contract with Divizia B team CSM Reșița.

Poli AEK Timișoara

Following his successful short spell in Reșița, Bălace signed in January 2003 with newly promoted Divizia A side Poli AEK Timișoara. His league debut for his new team, was on 16 April, in the local derby against UTA Arad, coming as a substitute for Romeo Stancu.[3] He ended his first season goalless, in which Timișoara eventually remained in the top flight, after winning the play-off against Gloria Buzău.

Usually used as a left back, under the management of Basarab Panduru, Bălace established himself as Timișoara's first choice left winger. On 1 November 2003, he scored his first league goal for Timișoara, in a 3–0 win against Brașov.[4] On 9 April 2004, he assisted at probably Timișoara's most humiliating loss from their history, a 1–8 loss on their own field against Steaua București.[5] Following his successful spell in Timișoara, despite his team's up and down season, the Viola fans nicknamed Bălace "Nedved from Banat" due to his Pavel Nedved lookalike.[6] His nickname was taken over by Dinamo fans who called him "Nedved from Stefan cel Mare",[7] but also by Vaslui fans with "Nedved from Vaslui".[8]

On 11 August 2004, he captained Timișoara for the first time, in a 1–2 loss against FCM Bacău.[9] On 4 August 2005, Bălace played against Pavel Nedved, in a 2-2 friendly match against Juventus Torino.[10] The unexpected departure of Moldovan in mid-2006 led to Bălace being awarded club captaincy. Despite he was one of the most beloved players from Timișoara's history,[11] Bălace was put on the transfer list in mid-2007, due to a conflict with Marian Iancu.

Dinamo

Following a conflict with Timișoara's boss Marian Iancu, on 19 December 2006, Bălace signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Dinamo București with a reported transfer fee of €200,000.[12] On 14 February, he made his first team debut for Dinamo, playing in the startup team against Benfica in UEFA Cup.[13] His league debut for Dinamo was twelve days later, coming as a substitute for Vojislav Vranjković and providing his first assist for Cătălin Munteanu's only goal against Jiul Petroșani.[14] Although he helped his team winning the championship after a three-year break,[15] Bălace was put on the transfer list, following unsatisfying performances.[16]

FC Vaslui

Following an unsuccessful spell at Dinamo, Bălace moved to Vaslui for $350,000 in June 2007.[17] He established himself immediately as Vaslui's first choice left-back. Bălace made his competitive debut for Vaslui against UTA Arad in a 2–2 draw on 27 July 2007.[18] Bălace scored his first goal for Vaslui on 5 August 2007 in a league match win against his former club Dinamo București. The final score was 2–0, with Bălace scoring Vaslui's first with a header from Dorinel Munteanu's corner.[19] On 30 March 2008, he alongside teammates Sorin Frunză and Daniel Sabou were accused by Adrian Porumboiu of fixing a match against Steaua București.[20] As a consequence, all three players were relegated to Vaslui's satellite.[21] Despite they were all back in the first team five days later, due to lack of evidence,[22] all three were dropped from the startup team, until the rest of the season.[23]

On 19 July 2008, Bălace received a red card, in Vaslui's opening match against Neftchi Baku, failing afterwards to reestablish himself as Vaslui's first choice left back.[24] He played his second match of the season on 2 October, in a match against Slavia Prague, as a late substitute for Hugo Luz.[25] On 6 October, he was in the startup team against FC Brașov, playing as a left midfielder, following N'Doye's suspension from yellow card accumulation.[26] He was until the rest of the season the second choice left back, managing to play only when Hugo Luz was either suspended or injured.[27]

On 30 July 2009, Bălace was in the startup team against Omonia Nicosia, following Hugo Luz's injury.[28] Although it seemed he managed to reestablish himself as Vaslui's first choice left back, on 13 September he received a red card against Rapid Bucuresti, making him Vaslui's third choice left back.[29] On 1 February 2010, he was loaned out to Universitatea Craiova, for the rest of the season.[30] When asked about Vaslui and Timișoara's quest to claim their first national title, Bălace said that "I would rather Timișoara won the national title, although I'm still under contract with Vaslui".[31] He missed a single match for Universitatea, due to the yellow card accumulation, and helped his team to avoid the relegation.[32] At the end of the season, despite his expressed wish to remain in Craiova, he eventually returned to Vaslui.[33]

Once with Juan López Caro's appointment, Bălace didn't get a single chance to play in the first team.[34] On 4 September 2010, Bălace led his team's training program, following Caro's conflict with the team's owner.[35] Bălace has been reinstated as Vaslui's first choice left back, after the arrival of new manager Viorel Hizo, in his third sting as Vaslui boss.[36] On 15 May 2011, Bălace scored his first league goal since September 2007, in a match against Sportul Studențesc at Municipal. The final score was 4–2, with Bălace scoring Vaslui's first with a header from Nemanja Milisavljević's cross.[37] In his fourth season in Vaslui, he finished third with his team, for the second year in a row.[38]

On 3 August 2011, Bălace was considered Vaslui's best player by Twente's manager, who stated "I enjoyed how Vaslui's Bălace played, thus being our number one danger. He won many one-on-one duels with our Ruiz".[39] On 19 August, following Cânu and Wesley's injuries, Bălace captained Vaslui for the first time, leading his team to a 2–0 win in Europa League against Sparta Prague.[40] Following Vaslui's qualification into the Group Stages, Porumboiu raised each player's wage up to 50%, meaning that Bălace's contract is now up to €180,000 per year.[41][42]

Statistics
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
CSM Reșița 2002–03 131100000141
Total 131100000141
Poli Timișoara 2002–03 7000000070
2003–04 132320000164
2004–05 271110000282
2005–06 295200000315
2006–07 190210000211
Total 95884000010312
Dinamo 2006–07 90002000110
Total 90002000110
SC Vaslui 2007–08 281000000281
2008–09 140202000180
2009–10 50104000100
Total 471306000561
U Craiova 2009–10 150000000150
Total 150000000150
SC Vaslui 2010–11 161000000161
2011–12 4100300071
Total 202003000232
Career total 199121241100022216

Statistics accurate as of match played 25 August 2011

Career Honours

Dinamo

FC Vaslui
gollark: I have no shorts because they would simply be too cold/wet.
gollark: As a UK resident, I am inured to the constant rain and take vitamin D supplements.
gollark: Maybe they should color them. That could look nice.
gollark: Don't most developed countries have weirdly skewed demographics like that now?
gollark: Which some people probably like.

References
  1. "Balace a patra revenire la Stiinta" (in Romanian). Gazeta de Sud. 3 February 2010.
  2. "Probleme dupa o accidentare" (in Romanian). Libertatea. 23 September 2007.
  3. "UTA – AEK" (in Romanian). Gazeta de Sud. 16 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012.
  4. "As fi un las daca as demisiona" (in Romanian). Curierul National. 3 November 2003.
  5. "Remember: Poli Steaua 1-8" (in Romanian). fanfotbal.org. 22 May 2009.
  6. "Ce semanati, fratilor!" (in Romanian). Libertatea. 27 October 2009.
  7. "Balace, Nedved din Stefan cel Mare" (in Romanian). Sport Magazin. 19 March 2007.
  8. "Balace – Nedved de Vaslui" (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 24 June 2007.
  9. "FCM Bacau 2-1 Poli AEK" (in Romanian). Apropo. 13 August 2004.
  10. "Timișoara a remizat in amicalul cu Juventus" (in Romanian). Curierul National. 5 August 2005.
  11. "Silviu Balace" (in Romanian). tempo-poli.ro. 31 January 2005.
  12. "Balace a doua achizitie pentru Dinamo" (in Romanian). Realitatea. 20 December 2006. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011.
  13. "Benfica 1-0 Dinamo" (in Romanian). Ziare. 14 February 2007.
  14. "Victorie si atat" (in Romanian). Sport 365. 26 February 2007.
  15. "Dinamo campioana" (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 5 May 2007.
  16. "Balace spre FC Vaslui" (in Romanian). Onlinesport. 18 June 2007.
  17. "Balace a semnat cu FC Vaslui" (in Romanian). Realitatea. 25 June 2007. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012.
  18. "FC Vaslui 2-2 Uta" (in Romanian). Sport 365. 27 July 2007.
  19. "SOC: Campioana infatuarii" (in Romanian). Hot News. 5 August 2007.
  20. "Porumboiu a mai descoperit doi blatisti" (in Romanian). Ziare. 7 April 2008.
  21. "Balace, Frunza si Sabou trimisi la echipa a doua" (in Romanian). Onlinesport. 7 April 2008.
  22. "Porumboiu i-a iertat pe presupusii blatisti" (in Romanian). Ziare. 12 April 2008.
  23. "Farul 2-1 FC Vaslui" (in Romanian). Ziare. 13 April 2008.
  24. "Neftchi Baku 2-1 FC Vaslui" (in Romanian). Onlinesport. 19 July 2008.
  25. "Brabec aduce egalarea pentru Slavia" (in Romanian). Vaslui FC. 2 October 2008. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012.
  26. "Brasov 0-0 Vaslui" (in Romanian). Hot News. 6 October 2008.
  27. "Hugo Luz vrea mai mult" (in Romanian). Sport Local. 19 March 2009. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012.
  28. "Vaslui 2-0 Omonia" (in Romanian). Sport Local. 30 July 2009.
  29. "Rapid 3-2 Vaslui" (in Romanian). Antena 1. 13 September 2009. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012.
  30. "Balace la Universitatea Craiova" (in Romanian). Prosport. 1 February 2010.
  31. "Vreau sa batem Timișoara, dar sper sa ia ei titlul" (in Romanian). Prosport. 2 April 2010.
  32. "Bine ca am evitat dezastru, si n-am retrogradat" (in Romanian). GSP. 1 June 2010.
  33. "Balace nevoit sa revina la Vaslui" (in Romanian). Prosport. 1 June 2010.
  34. "Spada si cap" (in Romanian). Prosport. 23 July 2010.
  35. "Balace a condus antrenamentul Vasluiului" (in Romanian). GSP. 4 September 2010.
  36. "Ploaie de goluri in Moldova" (in Romanian). Antena 1. 15 October 2010. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012.
  37. "Vasluiul isi asigura locul 3" (in Romanian). GSP. 15 May 2011.
  38. "Si-au respectat blazonul" (in Romanian). Vremea Noua. 23 May 2011.
  39. "Co Adriaanse: Balace a fost cel mai bun de la Vaslui" (in Romanian). GSP. 3 August 2011.
  40. "Moldovenii au detonat bomba" (in Romanian). Evenimentul Zilei. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011.
  41. "Balace, pe faras" (in Romanian). Prosport. 1 December 2008.
  42. "Vaslui, Anzhi Makhachkala de România!" (in Romanian). GSP. 26 August 2011.
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