Mihai Țârlea (footballer, born 1938)

Mihai Țârlea (19 April 1938 – 28 February 1984) was a Romanian football forward and manager.

Club career
Mihai Țârlea was born on 19 April 1938 in Livada de Bihor, Romania. He started to play football at Indagrara Arad, afterwards he went to play for UTA Arad, making his Divizia A debut on 18 August 1957 under coach Eugen Mladin in a 1–0 away victory against Dinamo București. He remained at UTA for the rest of his career, consisting of 11 seasons, the highlights of this period being a third place as the top-goalscorer of the 1963–64 Divizia A season with 16 goals alongside Florea Voinea, a fourth place with the team in the 1967–68 season and reaching the 1966 Cupa României final, where coach Nicolae Dumitrescu used him all the minutes in the eventual 4–0 loss in front of Steaua București. Țârlea's last Divizia A appearance took place on 26 May 1968 in a 2–0 away loss with Universitatea Craiova, having a total of 206 games with 80 goals scored in the competition, including six goals in the West derby against Politehnica Timișoara.

International career
Mihai Țârlea played one game and scored two goals for Romania's Olympic team in a friendly which ended with a 4–1 victory against Czechoslovakia.

Managerial career
After he ended his playing career, Mihai Țârlea worked as a coach, leading along with his assistant, Christos Metskas, from 1969 until 1972 Vulturii Textila Lugoj, helping it earn promotion from Divizia C to Divizia B in the 1970–71 season.

Personal life
His son, who is also named Mihai Țârlea was also a footballer who played at UTA.

Death
Mihai Țârlea died on 28 February 1984 at age 45.

Player
UTA Arad
 * Cupa României runner-up: 1965–66

Manager
Vulturii Textila Lugoj
 * Divizia C: 1970–71