CAO, echipa care a castigat campionatul in doua tari diferite

       Greetings everyone! Asa cum am promis ultima data, astazi voi incerca sa scriu despre istoria unei echipe, care in decursul vietii sale a realizat niste lucruri uimitoare si o performanta greu de atins. Spun "in decursul vietii sale" pentru ca astazi, din pacate, clubul nu mai exista, pierind in negura timpului si a uitarii.
         Asa cum Banatul le are pe Repensia si Chinezul, asa cum Oltenia o are pe Universitatea, asa si Crisana o are pe CAO! Da oameni buni, astazi vom vorbii despre Club Atletic Oradea, sau CAO mai pe scurt. Ea este celebra echipa care a castigat campionatul in doua tari diferite, performanta atinsa in lume doar de Rapid Viena, care  in urma Anschluss-ului ajunge sa joace in campionatul Germaniei, castigand atat campionatul ( 1941 )  cat si Tschammerpokal ( 1938 ). Pentru cei ce nu stiu, Tschammerpokal, este cupa Germaniei, iar asta e numele competitiei din acea perioada. Bun! Acum sa revenim la surprinzatoarea noastra CAO,  o adevarata perla a Crisanei. Totul incepe inaintea Primului Razboi Mondial, mai exact in 1910, cand la Oradea ( pe atunci in Austro-Ungaria ) se pun bazele primului club de de fotbal din oras. Club care pana in 1920 a jucat doar pe plan local si regional.
        Odata cu 1921, cand campionatul Romaniei incepe sa se joace in sistem nou, intra si CAO in Divizia A, unde in sezonul 1923-1924, ajunge in finala, pe care totusi o pierde cu 4-1 in favoarea Chinezului Timisoara. Dar inainte de a continua, hai sa explic putin pentru cei ce nu stiu ce insemna  acest sistem nou. Competitia se desfasura in campionate regionale, iar castigatoarele acelor campionate se infruntau in Turneul Final, intr-un sistem eliminatoriu. Acum gata, sa revenim la echipa oradeana.
        Dupa cum spuneam, ajunge sa joace finala in 1924, iar anul urmator castiga din nou campionatul regional,astfel calificandu-se la Turneul Final unde, este eliminata in sferturi de catre Brasovia Brasov. In 1932, Club Atletic efectua primul sau turneu  in afara tarii ( Franta si Elvetia ), avand un bilant pozitiv de 6 victorii, 2 egaluri si 4 infrangeri, plus un golaveraj foarte bun de 41 la 21. Datorita succesului din primul turneu, in anul urmator clubul decide sa mai faca unul, dar de data asta prin Franta si Africa de Nord, unde, reuseste ca in toate cele 25 de partide sa nu cunoasca infrangerea, castigand 21 de meciuri si 4 terminandu-le la egalitate, avand si un golaveraj exceptional de 110 la 23. In perioada 1932-1938, CAO sa alflat in permanenta  in partea de sus a Diviziei A,  ajungand in 1933, pe locul 2 la 1 punct de primul loc al Seriei II, loc ce o ducea in finala campionatului, iar in sezonul 1934-1935, pentru a doua oara in istorie ajunge vice-campioana a Romaniei Mari. Si cu toate astea, parcursul bun al echipei in Divizia A se opreste in 1938, cand la finalul sezonului retrogradeaza. Asta  pana in 1940, cand odata cu Al Doilea Razboi Mondial si prin Dictatul de la Viena, puterile Axei au fortat Romania sa cedeze Ungariei jumatate din Transilvania. Astfel CAO, aflandu-se in aceasta regiune, v-a juca in Nemzeti Bajnoksag I ( campionatul Ungariei ) pt 3 sezoane, pana  in 1944, sub numele NAC ( Nagyvaradi Atletikai Club ). In primul sezon ( 1941-1942 ) se claseaza pe un loc 5, dar incepand cu sezonul urmator incepe sa faca performanta, devenind vice-campioana, iar in 1943-1944 ajunge campioana a Ungariei, fapt care a adus mare suparare marilor forte din Budapesta, deoarece pana acum nici o alta echipa din provincie nu castigase titlul in Ungaria. Abia dupa 19 ani o alta echipa din provincie v-a reusii performanta asta, iar lucrul cel mai important e ca, Club Atletic a castigat campionatul la 13 puncte de locul 2, si asta in detrimentul unor echipe precum Ferencvaros TC sau Ujpest FC, echipe care dominau Mitropa Cup si pe care le puteai compara oricand cu Real Madrid. Trebuie sa specific si faptul ca in primul sezon Iuliu Bodola este ales jucatorul campionatului iar in ultimul sezon distinctia ii revine lui Francisc Spielmann-Sarvari,ambii de la CAO.
Fac o paranteza si specific faptul ca echipa Ferar Cluj ( echipa ce va disparea fuzionand cu CFR Cluj prin 1948 ),a jucat si ea un sezon ( 1943-1944 ) in Nemzeti Bajnoksag I, sub numele de Kolozsvari Atletikai Club, si care va termina campionatul pe locul 3, jucand totodata si finala Cupei Ungariei, pe care o pierde in fata lui Ferencvaros TC.

Daca mai e ceva de spus in legatura cu perioada asta din campionatul maghiar, asta ar fii, faptul ca marele Ferenc Puskas a debutat ca jucator intr-un meci cu CAO, chiar la Oradea, el jucand atunci pentru Kispest AC ( Honved de mai tarziu ). Avand in vedere ca am pomenit de un fost mare jucator al Realului, vreau sa ma revansez fata de FC Barcelona si pomenesc ceva si de ea, si anume, ca Nicolae Simantoc care a activat la Club Atletic, este si primul roman din istorie care a jucat pentru clubul Catalan.

        Dupa razboi, in 1945, CAO va revenii in Romania si isi va schimba numele in Libertatea Oradea, jucand sub acest nume in Divizia A pana in 1948, cand isi schimba numele in ICO ( Inteprinderea Comunala Oradea ). In anii in care a jucat sub numele Libertatea, echipa nu prea a avut mari performante, terminand pe locurile 8 respectiv 6, dar in sezonul 1948-1949, sub noul nume ICO, castiga campionatul la 5 puncte de locul 2, astfel realizand acea performanta incredibila, prin castigarea campionatului in doua tari diferite.

Echipa campioana in Ungaria

In 1951, echipa isi mai schimba odata numele, de data asta in Progresul, cu care reuseste un loc 3 chiar in anul respectiv, iar de aici intra intr-o panta descendenta, ajungand pe un loc 6 in anul urmator, si un loc 11 din 12 echipe in 1953, ceea ce ii dadea totusi speranta ca va scapa la barajul de mentinere in Divizia A, lucru ce sa si intamplat pana la urma, rananand in prima divizie in urma meciurilor de baraj. Dar bucuria a fost de scurta durata, deoarece in 1954, retrogradeaza pentru a doua oara in Divizia B. Totusi in ciuda faptului ca a retrogradat,echipa reuseste sa ajunga finalista a Cupei Romaniei ( 1955 ), competitie pe care o  si castiga un an mai tarziu. In 1956, reuseste o noua promovare in Divizia A unde termina pe un loc 8, iar de aici incolo va alterna intre prima si a doua divizie, retrogradand din nou in 1958, schimbandu-si numele in CS Oradea,iar mai apoi in 1961, in Crisana. Mai reuseste o promovare in 1962, dar retrogradeaza din nou la finalul sezonului de Divizie A ( 1962-1963 ), iar odata cu retrogradarea si echipa dispare desfiintandu-se.

                                  Aici sunt cateva segvente dintrun meci din 1942, disputat
                                                        intre CAO si Ferar Cluj


     In segventele de mai sus se poate vedea si vechea tribuna a Stadionului Orasului, din Cluj, construita in 1911 si mutata in 1960 la Campia Turzii, unde se afla si in prezent. Pe acest stadion activand si, nu mai putin cunoscuta Universitatea Cluj.

Imaginea actuala a tribunei

 Profit de faptul ca am ajuns la capitolul stadioane, si amintesc de stadionul Municipal din Oradea, stadion care a fost construit in 1924, si in care CAO isi sustinea meciurile de acasa. Astazi stadionul poarta numele unei foste glorii a echipei, si anume Iuliu Bodola, dar
 la Club Atletic, pe langa Bodola,  au mai jucat si alte nume mari precum: Iuliu Baratky, Francisc Spielmann ( golgheter al Ungariei in 1944 ), Emil Berkessy ( care la fel ca Nicolae Simantoc, a jucat la FC Barcelona ), Mircea David, care  a devenit celebru datorita unui meci al Romaniei contra Italiei  (14 apr. 1940 ), unde la sfarsit meciului italienii fascinati de calitatile sale l-au poreclit Il Dio. Printre altii se mai afla: Gheorghe Vaczi ( golgheter al Romaniei in 1949 si 1951 ), Lorant Gyula ( component al echipei de aur a Ungariei ), si lista poate continua mult si bine cu Iosif Petschovschi, Francisc Ronnay ( cel care a inscris primul gol din istorie pentru nationala Romaniei in 1922 ), sau fratii Covaci ( Nicolae si Stefan ).

            Mai trebuie totusi mentionat, a nu se face confuzie  intre Crisana Oradea ( CAO ) si Crisul Oradea ( FC Bihor ), echipa care va purta la un moment dat si ea numele de Crisana. Crisul Oradea fiind doar o continuitate a fotbalului oradean dupa disparitia mult mai titrate CAO, ele avand atat culori diferite ( alb-verde pentru CAO respectiv rosu-albastru pentru Crisul ) cat si ani diferiti de infiintare ( 1910 / 1929 ).


         In incheierea articolului va anunt ca data viitoare cand voi mai posta, voi face o exceptie de la regula si voi scrie putin despre sportul nostru national, OINA. Si ca sa se inteleaga mai bine ce performanta mare a obtinut Club Atletic Oradea, castigand cele doua campionate si mai ales in Ungaria, intr-o perioada cand aveau un super campionat , cu super echipe si cand se forma acea generatie cunoscuta in lume ca Magic Magyars sau Mighti Magyars, va las sa cititi un articol din The Guardian, in care spune despre marele Jimmy Hogan si de celebrul meci Anglia- Ungaria din 1953:

How total football inventor was lost to Hungary

It is 50 years since the Magic Magyars shattered England's invincibility. Norman Fox remembers the Lancastrian who inspired the rout but was treated as a traitor

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• The Guardian, Saturday 22 November 2003 02.13 GMT
• Article history

Fifty years ago next Tuesday, English football's castle crumbled. On a dank afternoon at Wembley, Hungary finally ended England's unbeaten home record against continental opposition. But it was worse than that. The defeat was by a humbling 6-3 and not only had the "Magic Magyars" shown themselves to be superior in everything from ball skills to tactics, they opened England's wounds even wider by dedicating the historic victory to an Englishman.

Sitting in the stands was a 71-year-old, white-haired little Lancastrian surrounded by athletic-looking young men. His name was Jimmy Hogan and the youths were Aston Villa juniors he was still coaching. If ever there was a prophet without honour in his own country it was Hogan and, poignantly, shortly after the game ended, the president of the Hungarian Football Association, Sandor Barcs, said: "Jimmy Hogan taught us everything we know about football."

English FA officials were doubly mortified. The match had seen Ferenc Puskas and his superb team humiliate England; now they were hearing that Hogan had planted the seeds not only of a Hungarian football revolution but one that had spread across the whole of Europe. Hardly any wonder that many years later England's captain, Billy Wright, told me: "There were people who were of a mind to call Jimmy Hogan a traitor."

In fact Hogan was a patriot and admirer of the way English football had been played before his work, and that of his Austrian friend Hugo Meisl, showed its flaws. His coaching was based on ball mastery which in 1953 was seen to be deficient in the English players, just as it is today. Throughout his long career he never asked anyone to do anything that he himself could not achieve, but his standards both of skill and morality (he was a devoted Roman Catholic) were so high that when he did return to England to manage Aston Villa and Fulham in the 1930s and coach at Celtic, the senior players, feeling inferior, argued that they had no need of his teaching.

Curiously, Hogan himself had taken up football in the early 20th century without family encouragement. His parents had left Ireland to find work in the Lancashire cotton industry. Jimmy's father wanted him to become a priest but football won the argument. In a fairly modest career he played for Burnley, Bolton, Fulham and Swindon as a skilful inside forward. It was a summer tour of Holland with Bolton that persuaded him to take up coaching. Bolton easily beat Dordrecht and he vowed to go back and "teach them how to play". In his early 30s he did indeed return to become the youngest-ever British coach to take up a permanent position on the continent.

He soon realised that the continental players had a different attitude from those in England. They said it was up to them to get themselves fit, what they expected of the coach was not the typical British notion that stamina would win in the end and that being deprived of the ball all week would make them all the more hungry for it on Saturday. They demanded to know how to improve their ball skills and how to use them to produce effective teamwork. Hogan was teaching Total Football generations before Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer brought that term into the game's language.

In an adventurous career, he taught thousands of young players in Holland, Austria, Hungary, France and even Africa. In many cases he helped them develop into outstanding internationals and, in some instances, become world famous coaches, including the West German manager Helmut Schoen whom he coached at Dresden and who called him "a shining example for the coaching profession".

The outbreak of the first world war found him coaching in Austria. On the day war was declared he was woken at dawn and thrown into prison. He remained an internee for the duration but was allowed to go to Hungary where he worked with the MTK club who formed the basis of the national team that would develop into the great side of the 1950s. However, when the war ended he returned to England and was told that men who had suffered financially as a result of the war could claim £200 from the FA. He was almost destitute but when he went to London the secretary, Frederick Wall, opened a cupboard and offered him a pair of khaki socks:

"We sent these to the boys at the front and they were grateful." The unsubtle message was: "Traitor."

The highlight of his career was working with Meisl to produce the Austrian Wunderteam who lost by only 4-3 to England at Stamford Bridge in 1932. Even so his message that English football was about to be overtaken was ignored. In the end he came back to Britain as a manager but returned to his real love, coaching. At Celtic one of his pupils was Tommy Docherty who says Hogan was his greatest influence, as does Ron Atkinson, who was taught by him at Villa, and the Irish winger Peter McParland who was among the "boys" with him on that portentous day at Wembley.

After the 1953 defeat the English press campaigned to have Hogan involved in restoring English football but, wrongly, he was considered too old. He died in 1974 aged 91, still a patriot but with good cause to be bitter.

· Prophet or Traitor? by Norman Fox is published by The Parrs Wood 

                        Mult noroc pana data viitoare! Peace!