Interview with Constantin Dănilescu: The Escape of Miodrag Belodedici and the Revolution in Scornicești

In an interview given ProSport, Constantin Dănilescu (74 years old), the man with 29 trophies at Steaua and Dinamo, the most gallant leader in Romanian football, told a critical moment in his career. The escape of Miodrag Belodedici and the punishment he received from the communists. “Nea Tică” was sent to Scornicești, where he led the team from Nicolae Ceaușescu’s hometown. In the town of Olt, the Revolution caught up, in the middle of the events, right in the fiefdom of the dictator wanted by an entire country.

You were not very quiet at Steaua, and here I am referring, among other things, to the flight of Miodrag Belodedici from the country. You had a lot to do!

Recently, Belodedici visited me with two correspondents from England who make his history, with the two champions’ cups, they were here at my place (no. Naeni commune, Buzău county – photo if). From here they went to his home, in New Moldova, from there, further, to Belgrade, they made their way. And we talked like that, at this event.

And what did you tell them?

I had nothing to tell them but the reality.

Are you confused, then, Belodedici, with his flight?

I was practically innocent. And he wasn’t guilty either, because he left the country legally.

“He took trophies with Steaua and Dinamo and defended Scornicești, during the Revolution, with a gun in his hand. “He gave a mad mood to arm the patriotic guards. We isolated ourselves, barricaded ourselves”

He had a passport…

He had a passport, but, being a military man, a lieutenant at the time, he was given a report, which I signed, above me, Gavrila (no club commander the star on that date, Nicolae Gavrila) and Ilie Ceaușescu (no Nicolae Ceușescu’s brother) and, from above, they approved it. I had no fault, they all wrote, agree, agree, agree! And in the end, they let him go. He left and he was never to return. Then, through the yard, through the garden, his sister, friends passed through a tube, went to the other country, where his uncle was.

What did you say to Belodedici now, after so many years, about this documentary that the English are making?

Well, no, because we saw each other after that, when he came to the country, on Ghencea. He said to me: “don’t knock, Tica!”. What can I tell him, knowing the military rules, the structure of the reports, he was not at fault, he left normally. That he later gave him a deserter, that he ran away… no. He walked away clean. Now we joked, we talked when he came to me, we debugged memories, a special man.

Belodedici’s family and friends fled the country through a tube in the garden

The family left the country through a tube…

And the family through the garden, passed the garden and went to the neighboring country. That was his problem and my problem that, automatically, I was sent to Scornicesti. They took me from the football section, put me aside, made me available to the club, after I arrived at Scornicesti. And I stayed at Scornicesti, lucky that the Revolution came. Exactly one year.

How was the revolution in Scornicesti, practically in the fiefdom of the Ceaușescu family?

My colleagues from Slatina dressed me, they brought me a uniform. It was very difficult, I had several sleepless nights, enough problems with people, when a mayor was elected, when another was elected. My colleagues from Slatina sent me, on Gușă’s orders (no General Ștefan Gușă, at ​​that time the Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Army), God forgive him!, because I spoke with him, they were Dinu, Stănculescu and Cu Gușă. And Cornel says: “Well, let me talk to you on the phone.” “Me Cornele, are you crazy?”.

Who was Stănculescu?

Yes. They had met, where Cornel was involved in his relations with Iliescu. They told me to be careful there, that there are problems, there are many relatives (numbers of Nicolae Ceaușescu, Scornicesti being the place where the dictator was born), especially since then it was publicized that Ceaușescu was turning to Scornicesti. Misinformation! One is Scornicești and the other is Târgoviște, where he ended up.

That’s what Stănculescu said, be careful?

Goiter, he told me. And he said that he spoke to Slatina to receive some soldiers. And so it was, we had soldiers who patrolled in Scornicesti. They were careful, as it was then, not to poison the water basin, rumour. They were throwing all kinds of rockets and such and they said that who knows, they are coming…

You had responsibility…

As a soldier, it was basically like a garrison. We isolated ourselves, we barricaded some things there, so we don’t have any problems. That’s right, no rounds were fired. A madman, from the town hall, ordered the patriotic guards to be armed, they took the weapons, it was difficult for me to bring them back, to take the ammunition, so that people don’t shoot themselves.

• Constantin Dănilescu stayed for 15 years at Steaua and another 15 at rival Dinamo
• Constantin Dănilescu won 29 trophies at Steaua and at Dinamo
• 8 national titles, 6 Cups of Romania, 3 Supercups of Romania in Ghencea
• 4 national titles, 6 Romanian cups and 2 Supercups in Ștefan cel Mare

Who else was there from the dictator’s family?

In Scornicești there was Gheorghiță, may God forgive him!, Bărbulescu’s brother from the Central Committee, Gheorghiță Bărbulescu was the incumbent mayor of Scornicești, the man who liked football, took care of football.

“If it wasn’t for the Revolution, I think I would have stayed there for many years, they forgot about me. Nea Ilie was fierce against me, he said that I knew that Belodedici was fleeing”

And what happened to him in those moments?

I put it aside. People kept electing a mayor, it didn’t suit them, the next day they elected another. For a few days it was a complete mess. I stayed with Pena then, at the Revolution (no Gheorghe Pena, former footballer) and with Gica Mihali (later defender at Dinamo and the national team), they were players at Scornicesti. And I left, they shot Ceaușescu, I made a report, I handed over all the papers to the town hall, I closed, I gave them the stamp. And on December 31, I left for Bucharest. After the holidays I showed up at the club, at Steaua.

The revolution will bring you back to Steaua, after Belodedici’s flight sent you to Scornicesti…

If it wasn’t for the Revolution, I think I would have stayed there for many years, they forgot about me. New Ilia (no. Ilie Ceaușescu, brother of Nicolae Ceaușescu, deputy minister of the Romanian Army) he was fierce against me, he said that I knew that Belodedici was running away, they made it out as if the club was to blame. But Stănculescu was of great nobility. He didn’t want to participate in that meeting, he didn’t come, he warned me, the first phone call I received, I was at the club and he said: “you see you’re in trouble, Belodedici ran away, you’re going to have problems . That’s when the sales started. And in January there was Lăcătuș’s wedding and I went, they did Gică Hagi, Rotariu… they yelled, they said that I have no fault, they defended me, we have a good relationship with them. In vain!

They came from UEFA, two guys from England and one from here, from us, to make a report, a documentary with me. That’s what they do with former footballers who have won something. And I also got some! Plus, they found my story interesting, about running away, but I told them that I didn’t run away, I left legally. Nea Tica gave me a bag because I asked her for a bag too. And with that I left! He told me that because of me they sent him to Scornicesti, that he had to shoot, but what can we do, that’s how life was, that they found him guilty, but he was not at fault, I asked for Valentin Ceusescu’s passport as well. Nea Tică gave me the bag and others gave me the passport” – Miodrag Belodedici, double winner of the European Champions Cup, with Steaua Bucharest and Steaua Roșie Belgrade.