Alex Zotincă Explained

Alex Zotincă
Fullname:Alexandru Florin Zotincă
Birth Date:1977 1, df=yes
Birth Place:Sibiu, Romania
Height:1.82m (05.97feet)
Position:Defender
Years1:1995–1998
Years2:1998–1999
Years3:1999–2000
Years4:2000–2003
Years5:2003–2006
Years6:2007–2008
Years7:2010
Clubs1:Inter Sibiu
Clubs2:Steaua București
Clubs3:Gaz Metan Mediaș
Clubs4:Kansas City Comets (indoor)
Clubs5:Kansas City Wizards
Clubs6:Chivas USA
Clubs7:Chivas USA
Caps1:51
Goals1:4
Caps2:8
Goals2:0
Caps3:12
Goals3:1
Caps4:118
Goals4:65
Caps5:85
Goals5:3
Caps6:26
Goals6:0
Caps7:1
Goals7:0
Totalcaps:301
Totalgoals:73
Manageryears1:2010–2011
Managerclubs1:Chivas Jr. (U-14 Head coach)
Manageryears2:2011–
Managerclubs2:United FC

Alexandru Florin Zotincă (born 22 January 1977 in Sibiu) is a Romanian-American former football defender and current youth coach. His older brother, Dorin was also a footballer.[1] [2]

Career

Zotinca began his career with FC Inter Sibiu, where he played from 1995 to 1998. In 1998, he moved to Steaua București, where he would play from 1998 to 2000, and with whom he would appear in the UEFA Cup.

In 2000, Zotinca won a United States Green Card in an immigration lottery, and left Romania for America. He played for four years for the Kansas City Comets of the MISL, being named to the All-Rookie team in 2000–01, and the All-Star team in 2002–03. Near the beginning of the 2003 MLS season, Zotinca was signed by the Wizards. He did well in his first year, starting 14 games and playing 1239 minutes in a variety of positions for the Wizards. In 2004, Zotinca firmly established himself at the right back position, and played most of the team's minutes there, appearing in 25 games and playing 1779 minutes. He played a similarly important role during the next two seasons, but failed to sign a new contract with the team for the 2007 season and was traded to Chivas USA. Zotinca started 20 games for the club during 2007, but played a diminished role in the next season, starting only 4 games, and was waived by Chivas USA on 28 November 2008.

After a two-year layoff from professional football, Zotincă was re-signed by Chivas USA on 4 June 2010 to strengthen their defensive unit.[3]

After the 2010 MLS season Chivas USA declined Zotincă's contract option and Zotincă elected to participate in the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Zotincă became a free agent in Major League Soccer when he was not selected in the Re-Entry draft.

Coaching career

After the end of his career was part of the Chivas USA Youth team coaching staff.[4] Since 14 December 2011 worked as Head coach by United Futebol Club in San Juan Capistrano.[5]

Honours

Club

Steaua Bucharest

1998–99

Gaz Metan Mediaș

1999–00

Sporting Kansas City

2004

2004

Individual

2001

2003

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alex Zotinca e dorit in nationala americana. Libertatea.ro. Romanian . Alex Zotinca is wanted in the American national team . 25 September 2004. 26 March 2020.
  2. Web site: Zotinca joaca marea finala in America. Libertatea.ro. Romanian . Zotinca plays the great final in America . 13 November 2004. 26 March 2020.
  3. Web site: Chivas USA sign Romanian defender Zotinca . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100613093702/http://www.cdchivasusa.com/news/2010/06/chivas-usa-sign-romanian-defender-zotinca . 13 June 2010.
  4. Web site: Academy Staff Bios . Chivas USA . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120517132737/http://www.cdchivasusa.com/academy/staff/academybios . 17 May 2012 .
  5. Web site: Boys Program – United Futbol Club . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120511025058/http://unitedfc.org/futbol-programs/boys-program . 11 May 2012 .