Cicerone Manolache

Cicerone Manolache (16 May 1936 – 28 January 2024) was a Romanian footballer and manager who played as a forward and made four appearances for Romania's national team.

Club career
Cicerone Manolache was born on 16 May 1936 in Păunești, Romania but when he was three years old, his family moved to Reșița, starting to play junior level football in 1950 at local club, FCM. In 1957, he started to play senior level football for Reșița in Divizia B where he would spend two seasons, afterwards moving to Știința Timișoara in the same league, a team he helped earn promotion to Divizia A by scoring 18 goals in his first season. In the following season, Manolache made his Divizia A debut on 4 September 1960 in a 0–0 with Rapid București, being a constant appearance for four seasons, the highlights of this period being the 1962–63 season when he scored 15 goals and the team finished on the third place. In the 1963–64 season, Știința relegated back to Divizia B but Manolache stayed with the club, helping it promote back to the first league after one year by scoring 9 goals. In 1965 Manolache went back to Divizia A football as he signed with Farul Constanța where he would stay for the following three seasons, the most successful one being the 1966–67 edition when with his six goals scored he helped the club finish on the fourth position. Afterwards he went to play for Politehnica Timișoara in Divizia B for one season, then moving to neighboring club CFR where he scored 12 goals in his first season, helping it gain promotion to Divizia A. In the following season, Manolache made his last Divizia A appearance on 28 November 1970, playing for CFR in a 2–0 home loss with Argeș Pitești, having a total of 171 matches with 52 goals scored in the competition. He ended his career after spending one season at UM Timișoara in the second league.

International career
Cicerone Manolache played four games at international level for Romania, making his debut under coach Gheorghe Popescu on 25 November 1962 in a 1964 European Nations' Cup qualification match against Spain, in which he gave an assist to Nicolae Tătaru's goal and he netted Romania's second goal in a 3–1 win. Even though the qualification was lost as in the first leg Spain won 6–0, his performance was praised by the Spanish press:"Romania showed as a team of great character, led on the field by the kid Manolache, the "roller" in the center of the attack line". Manolache said about the game:"We played with fantastic determination. We were going headfirst into the counter, on the crampons, we didn't care about anything. Just to win, to erase the stain from the national team's coat of arms". His following three games were friendlies, the last one being a 0–0 with Turkey.

Manolache also played for Romania's Olympic team at the successful 1964 Summer Olympics qualifiers, scoring brace in a 3–2 win over Denmark, however he was not called up for the final tournament.

Managerial career
Cicerone Manolache started coaching in 1971 at CFR Timișoara, leading the club for one year in Divizia B. Afterwards he went to coach abroad in Congo at CARA Brazzaville with whom he won the only trophies of his career, the 1973 Congo Premier League and the 1974 African Cup of Champions Clubs. Following his performances with CARA, he was appointed head coach of Congo's national team, leading it in the 1976 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, eliminating Ivory Coast in the first round but not managing to reach the final tournament as they were defeated in the following round by Nigeria. Afterwards, Manolache returned to his country, having his first experience as a coach in Divizia A, leading UTA Arad to a 12th place in the 1976–77 season. In 1977 he went back to Divizia B, coaching UM Timișoara and FCM Reșița, at the latter having two spells. In 1982 he had his last Divizia A spell at Politehnica Timișoara when he was brought to replace Marcel Pigulea. In 1983, Manolache returned to Africa, leading Libya's national team until 1984, his spell ended because FIFA excluded Libya from all competitions for two years, due to not appearing in an away match with Egypt. From 1985 until 2016, Manolache worked for various clubs in the Romanian lower leagues, the last one being Agronomia Timișoara.

Personal life
He was named Cicerone after the Roman philosopher, Cicero.

Death
Manolache died on 28 January 2024 at age 87.

Player
Știința Timișoara CFR Timișoara
 * Divizia B: 1959–60, 1964–65
 * Divizia B: 1969–70

Manager
CARA Brazzaville
 * Congo Premier League: 1973
 * African Cup of Champions Clubs: 1974