Valentin Nastase Quits while he’s behind

By: Bob | August 29th, 2007

I still vividly remember making a mistake as a defender that cost my team a game when I was 12 years old. It isn’t easy when you have two left feet. After I was reamed out by my far too serious coach/middle school science teacher and after my teammates stopped talking to me, I had a couple of choices. Quit the team or continue on. I continued on and managed to play a half dozen more mediocre years. I mention this because regardless of the level you play at it you can understand what it is like to cost your team a victory. You can understand what it is like to be Valentine Nastase today.

The Dinamo Bucharest defender didn’t have an especially good game against Lazio in the Champions League on Wednesday. In fact, he was downright terrible. He conceded a penalty early in the second half that opened the floodgates for Lazio’s three second half goals.

After the game his coach called him out, his fans turned on him and he was the loneliest man in the dressing room. Big deal, right? Shit happens and sometimes that shit happens when your team is trying to qualify for the Champions League group stage. What is interesting is Nastase’s reaction. He has quit the team.

I am shocked by all that has been said about me,” said Nastase. “I am not a coward, but I cannot continue to play for Dinamo.

“When you are a defender people notice only the bad things, not what you do well. The coach attacked me in the press, fans abused me and nobody will forget my mistake so I cannot continue. I am disappointed because those who should have supported me, did not. I am responsible for the elimination. I don’t know what I will do now.”

I don’t know what Natase will do either but he might want to consider a career in something other than football. To quit because you no longer have the skills to compete at a high level is one thing; to quit because you can’t take the heat for your mistakes is another. I can’t imagine many teams lining up to sign the guy. Well, maybe my old team would take him. He seems like he would fit in with a bunch of 12-year-olds.