Jump to content

Ștefan Dobay

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The native form of this personal name is Dobay István. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
Ștefan Dobay
Personal information
Date of birth (1909-09-26)26 September 1909
Place of birth Újszentes, Austria-Hungary
Date of death 7 April 1994(1994-04-07) (aged 84)
Place of death Târgu Mureș, Romania
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1924–1926 Unirea CFR Timișoara
1926–1929 Banatul Timișoara
1930–1940 Ripensia Timișoara 153 (127)
1940–1941 Kolozsvári AC
1941–1942 Törekvés SE
1945–1948 CSM Mediaș[a] 7 (3)
Total 160 (130)
International career
1930–1939 Romania 41 (19)
Managerial career
1945–1948 CSM Mediaș (player/coach)
1948 CFR Constanța
1949 Dezrobirea Constanța
1949 Farul Constanța
1950 Locomotiva Târgu Mureș
1951 Flacăra Mediaș
1952–1953 Locomotiva Târgu Mureș
1953–1954 Romania
1954 Dinamo Orașul Stalin
1955 Locomotiva Târgu Mureș
1955–1956 CCA București
1957 CFR Cluj
1958 UTA Arad
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ștefan Dobay (Hungarian: Dobay István, 26 September 1909 – 7 April 1994), was a Romanian footballer who played as a striker and manager.

He mostly played for Ripensia Timișoara and Romania's national team for whom he got 41 caps and netted 19 goals, appearing in the 1934 and 1938 World Cups, scoring goals in each tournament.

Club career

[edit]

Dobay, nicknamed "Calul" (The Horse) was born on 26 September 1909 in Újszentes, Austria-Hungary (today Dumbrăvița, Romania).[1][2][3][4][5] In 1916, he lost his father on the battlefields of World War I.[2][5]

On 26 September 1924 when he turned 15, Dobay made his debut in senior football, playing for Unirea CFR Timișoara in a 5–2 victory against Jimbolia.[1][2][5] In 1926 he moved to neighboring club Banatul, managing in the 1928–29 season to reach the semi-finals of the national league where they were defeated with 3–0 by România Cluj.[1][2][3][6]

In 1930, Dobay joined Ripensia Timișoara where in his first five seasons he was four times the top-scorer of the season, in the 1936–37 edition sharing the first place with Traian Iordache.[1][2][3][4][7] He won the championship title in the 1932–33 season, coach Jenő Konrád using him in 14 games in which he scored 16 goals, including a hat-trick in the final against Universitatea Cluj.[1][8][9] In the following season he netted a personal record of 25 goals to help his side earn a runner-up position in the league and the team won the 1934 Cupa României final, Dobay playing in both wins over "U" Cluj, scoring three goals.[1][10] In the 1934–35 season he won another title, coaches Josef Uridil and Rudolf Wetzer giving him 22 appearances in which he netted 24 goals, also the team reached the Cupa României final where he scored once in the 6–5 loss to CFR București.[1][8][11][12][13] Next season, Dobay helped Ripensia win The Double, being given 21 appearances by coaches Wetzer and Konrád, scoring 12 times, also opening the score in the 5–1 win over Unirea Tricolor București in the Cupa României final.[1][8][11][12][14] In the following Cupa României edition, the team reached another final in which he netted his side's goal in the 5–1 loss to Rapid București.[15] In the 1937–38 season, Ripensia won another title, coach Sepp Pojar using him in 28 matches in which he scored eight times.[1][8][11] Afterwards he closed the score after receiving an assist from Gheorghe Ciolac in Ripensia's 3–0 win over AC Milan in the first leg of the first round of the 1938 Mitropa Cup, helping the team get past the Italians.[16]

In 1940 he switched teams, going to Nemzeti Bajnokság II club, Kolozsvári AC.[1][2] After one year he moved to Törekvés SE in the same league, helping it earn first place.[1][2] In 1945, Dobay went as a player-coach to newly founded club, CSM Mediaș, helping it earn promotion to the first league two years later.[1][2][17] Afterwards he made his last Divizia A appearance on 11 April 1948 in Mediaș's 3–0 away loss to ASA București.[1][17]

International career

[edit]

Dobay played 41 matches and scored 19 goals for Romania, making his debut on 25 May 1930 under coach Constantin Rădulescu in a 8–1 home victory against Greece in the successful 1929–31 Balkan Cup.[2][3][18][19][20] He was considered for the squad that went to the 1930 World Cup but eventually was left home.[18] Dobay won his second Balkan Cup in 1933 when he netted four goals, a brace in a 7–0 win over Bulgaria, the only goal in a victory against Greece and one goal in a 5–0 win against Yugoslavia, being the top-scorer of the competition alongside teammate Gheorghe Ciolac.[18][21]

Dobay scored two goals in the successful 1934 World Cup qualifiers, the first in a 2–2 draw against Switzerland and the second in a 2–1 home win over Yugoslavia.[18] Afterwards he was selected by coaches Rădulescu and Josef Uridil to be part of the squad that went to the final tournament in Italy, scoring his side's goal in the 2–1 defeat to eventual finalists Czechoslovakia in the first round.[2][3][18] After the game, goalkeeper František Plánička said:"If Romania had another player like Dobay I would have had to split myself in two."[5]

He won his third Balkan Cup in 1936, contributing with two goals netted in two victories against Greece and Bulgaria.[18][22] He was selected by coaches Săvulescu and Rădulescu to be part of the squad that participated in the 1938 World Cup.[18][23] Dobay scored once in each game against Cuba, the first one being a 3–3 draw, followed by a surprising 2–1 loss in the replay.[2][3][18][23][24] On 11 June 1939 he made his last appearance for The Tricolours in a friendly that ended with a 1–0 home loss to Italy.[18]

International goals

[edit]
Romania score listed first, score column indicates score after each Dobay goal.
List of international goals scored by Ștefan Dobay[18]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 25 May 1930 ONEF Stadium, Bucharest, Romania  Greece 7–1 8–1 Friendly
2 4 June 1933  Bulgaria 2–0 7–0 1933 Balkan Cup
3 5–0
4 8 June 1933  Greece 2–0 2–1
5 11 June 1933  Yugoslavia 5–0 5–0
6 29 October 1933 Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland   Switzerland 1–0 2–2 1934 World Cup qualifiers
7 25 March 1934 Pardubický Stadion, Pardubice, Czechoslovakia  Czechoslovakia 2–1 2–2 1931–1934 Central European Cup for Amateurs
8 29 April 1934 ONEF Stadium, Bucharest, Romania  Yugoslavia 2–1 2–1 1934 World Cup qualifiers
9 27 May 1934 Stadio Littorio, Trieste, Italy  Czechoslovakia 1–0 1–2 1934 World Cup
10 14 October 1934 Czarnych, Lwow, Poland (now Lviv, Ukraine)  Poland 1–1 3–3 Friendly
11 3–3
12 27 December 1934 Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, Athens, Greece  Greece 1–0 2–2 1934–35 Balkan Cup
13 17 May 1936 ONEF Stadium, Bucharest, Romania  Greece 4–2 5–2 1936 Balkan Cup
14 24 May 1936  Bulgaria 4–1 4–1
15 4 July 1937 Stadion Miejski, Łódź, Poland  Poland 1–1 2–4 1934–35 Balkan Cup
16 5 June 1938 Parc de Sports du T.O.E.C., Toulouse, France  Cuba 3–3 3–3 1938 World Cup
17 9 June 1938 1–0 1–2
18 7 May 1939 ONEF Stadium, Bucharest, Romania  Yugoslavia 1–0 1–0 King Carol II Cup 1939
19 18 May 1939 Stadionul Venus, Bucharest, Romania  Latvia 2–0 4–0 Friendly

Managerial career

[edit]

In 1945, Dobay went as a player-coach to a newly founded club, CSM Mediaș, helping it earn promotion to the first league two years later.[1][2][17] Afterwards, at the end of the 1947–48 season, he managed to keep Mediaș in Divizia A.[1][17]

In 1948 he went to work at CFR Constanța, one year later moving to Dezrobirea and then to Farul.[2][3][4][25] In the early 1950s he had three spells at Locomotiva Târgu Mureș.[2][3][17] He also made a comeback to Mediaș in the second league with whom he reached the 1951 Cupa României final that was lost with 3–1 to CCA București and had a short spell at Dinamo Orașul Stalin.[2][3][17][26] Dobay also coached Romania's national team, making his debut in a 1–0 home loss to Czechoslovakia in the 1954 World Cup qualifiers.[3][27] He then led The Tricolours in two friendly games, a victory against East Germany and a loss to rivals Hungary.[27]

He went to CCA București with whom, alongside Ilie Savu he won the 1955 Cupa României after a 6–3 victory against Progresul Oradea in the final.[2][3][5][28][29] In the following season he led The Military Men to win the 1956 championship.[2][3][5][8] In 1957 he worked at CFR Cluj in Divizia B.[2][3][30]

Style of play

[edit]

Dobay was known for his powerful shot, Juventus București captain, Coloman Braun-Bogdan described an incident in a game with Ripensia that took place in the 1935–36 season:"In the 8th minute, Ghiță Ciolac opened the lane for Dobay, and The Horse took off at a gallop! Then, after getting past Nicky Petrescu, from about 10 meters he sent his shot towards Enderffi's goal. Well, my dears, that shot was not a shot, but a real thunderbolt! The ball broke the net of the goal and went out. I can tell you with my hand on my heart that in my entire life I have never seen such a powerful shot. The ball went like a cannonball and I think it would have knocked anyone who would have met it on the way to the ground. The stands started applauding frantically."[3][4] During those times, there were rumors that his powerful shots killed animals or goalkeepers, Dobay responded by saying:"I made football an art. And through my art I wanted to convey a piece of beauty to people. Dobay laid many defenders to the ground with his powerful shot, he also tore goal nets, probably a bit rotten, but he never even killed a sparrow, let alone a monkey or a goalkeeper."[2][3] In a 1966 interview with journalist Ioan Chirilă he said:"I would launch like a slingshot without looking back – I knew that Șubi (Schwartz) would make a couple of feints to simulate a pass to the opposite side and I would suddenly find myself with the ball in front of me, but such a perfect ball, on the stride! Once I received the ball, I would speed down towards the goal. I was never too technical. I was not good at finesse. I knew one thing: throw the ball sideways, and bypass the opponent economically, on a tangent, then hit it all at speed."[4]

Death

[edit]

Dobay died on 7 April 1994 in Târgu Mureș at age 84.[2][4]

Legacy

[edit]

A stadium in his native Dumbrăvița is named after him.[31]

Honours

[edit]

Player

[edit]

Ripensia Timișoara

Romania

Törekvés SE

Individual

[edit]

Manager

[edit]

Flacăra Mediaș

CCA București

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Only statistics for the 1947–48 Divizia A season are available.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Ștefan Dobay at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "28 de ani de la moartea lui Ștefan Dobay. 10 detalii mai puțin cunoscute despre cel poreclit "Calul" + recordurile fantastice, unele încă neegalate" [28 years since the death of Ștefan Dobay. 10 lesser-known details about the one nicknamed "The Horse" + the fantastic records, some still unmatched] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Dobay, zis Calul: mai puternic ca Hagi și Dobrin. Lumea zicea că a omorât un portar cu forța șutului" [Dobay, known as Calul: stronger than Hagi and Dobrin. People said he killed a goalkeeper with the force of his shot] (in Romanian). Newsweek.ro. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Ștefan Dobay" (in Romanian). Ripensiatimisoara.ro.ro. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "VOCE Dobay, "Calul" care a galopat în porțile adverse la două Campionate Mondiale consecutive" [VOICE Dobay, the "Horse" who galloped into the opposing goals at two consecutive World Championships] (in Romanian). Eurosport.ro. 4 December 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  6. ^ "1928–29 Divizia A" (in Romanian). Romaniansoccer.ro. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Top Scorers" (in Romanian). Romaniansoccer.ro. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  9. ^ "RETRO GSP. 87 de ani de când finala campionatului de fotbal a fost eclipsată de un derby de trap" [RETRO GSP. 87 years since the football championship final was overshadowed by a trot derby] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Romanian Cup - 1933-1934". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "FOTBAL. Noua CAMPIOANA a ROMANIEI. Ce mai vuiet, ce mai larma..." [FOOTBALL. The new CHAMPION of ROMANIA. What a noise, what a noise ...] (in Romanian). Vechi.timisoaraexpress.ro. 14 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  12. ^ a b "CFR Cluj, ca Rapidul pe vremea lui "Il Luce"! Un record vechi de 20 de ani a fost egalat! Performanţa imposibilă realizată de clujeni" [CFR Cluj, like Rapid in the time of "Il Luce"! A 20-year-old record has been matched! The impossible performance achieved by the people from Cluj] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Romanian Cup - 1934-1935". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Romanian Cup - 1935-1936". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Romanian Cup - 1936-1937". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  16. ^ ""Strămoșii" lui Poli au demonstrat că se poate: Ripensia a eliminat pe AC Milan!" [Poli's "ancestors" proved that it is possible: Ripensia eliminated AC Milan!] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 28 July 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
    "Roș-galbenii, adversarii de seamă ai granzilor din Vest. Cum și-a câștigat Ripensia respectul în Europa" [The red-yellows, the main opponents of the giants from the West. How Ripensia gained respect in Europe] (in Romanian). Pressalert.ro. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
    "Când Ripensia era peste AC Milan" [When Ripensia was over AC Milan] (in Romanian). Ripensia-sport-magazin.ro. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
    "Ripensia – AC Milan 3-0 (Cupa Mitropa, 26 iunie 1938)" [Ripensia – AC Milan 3-0 (Mitropa Cup, June 26, 1938)] (in Romanian). Tikitaka.ro. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  17. ^ a b c d e f ""Amintiri din cei 30 de ani de fotbal"" ["Memories from 30 years of football"] (in Romanian). Tikitaka.ro. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Ștefan Dobay". EU Football.info. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  19. ^ a b "Balkan Cup 1929–31". European Football. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  20. ^ "Romania 8-1 Greece". European Football. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
    "Stefan Dobay – Goals in International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  21. ^ a b "Balkan Cup 1933". European Football. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  22. ^ a b "Balkan Cup 1936". European Football. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  23. ^ a b "România – Cuba: povestea eliminării ruşinoase de la Cupa Mondială a primei generații de excepţie din istoria "tricolorilor"" [Romania – Cuba: the story of the shameful elimination from the World Cup of the first exceptional generation in the history of the "tricolors"] (in Romanian). Theplaymaker.ro. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  24. ^ "Cuba 3-3 România, 5 iunie 1938 (Campionatul Mondial din Franța '38)" [Cuba 3-3 Romania, June 5, 1938 (World Cup in France '38)] (in Romanian). Tikitaka.ro. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
    "Campionatul Mondial din Franța '38: Cuba 2-1 România, 9 iunie 1938" [World Championship in France '38: Cuba 2-1 Romania, June 9, 1938] (in Romanian). Tikitaka.ro. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  25. ^ "Ștefan Dobay, tunarul Ripensiei" [Ștefan Dobay, the gunner of Ripensia] (in Romanian). Ripensia-sport-magazin.ro. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  26. ^ a b "Romanian Cup - 1951". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  27. ^ a b "Ștefan Dobay manager profile". EU Football.info. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  28. ^ a b "Romanian Cup - 1956". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  29. ^ "Biata Cupa. Biata Steaua. (1947-1955)" [Poor Cup. Poor Steaua. (1947-1955)] (in Romanian). Fcsteaua.ro. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  30. ^ "EXCLUSIV Dă numele STADIONULUI din Gruia. Dr. Constantin "Jumate" Rădulescu a venit din REGAT pentru a se afirma la Cluj" [EXCLUSIVE He gives the name of the STADIUM from Gruia. Dr. Constantin "Jumate" Rădulescu came from THE KINGDOM to assert himself in Cluj] (in Romanian). Cluj24.ro. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  31. ^ "Stadionul din Dumbrăvița va purta numele unei legende a Ripensiei: Ștefan Dobay!" [The stadium in Dumbrăvița will bear the name of a Ripensia legend: Ștefan Dobay!] (in Romanian). Ripensiatimisoara.ro. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2025.

Selected publications

[edit]
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ștefan_Dobay&oldid=1303551044"