Alex Ioniţă, left Rapid Bucureşti, for FC Koln. Even tough he signed the contract a year ago, the German club permitted him to play at the Romanian team until the end of the 2009-2010 season. He remained there, but his form was never the same. Still, he scored 4 goals, from which two against Steaua Bucureşti, in the historical match, that Rapid won with 5-1, in April 2010.

Alex Ioniță performance

He did not manage to improve his way of playing at Koln yet, but Ioniţă remains a big hope. When I saw him on the pitch in the past season, I was stunned. His ability of protecting the ball and his way of powering a shot are unbelievable. He scored 10 goals for Rapid, and gave four assists. He looked like he can score from every distance, and from every position. He did so in a couple of games, such were those against Internaţional Curtea de Argeş, Oţelul Galaţi, Pandurii Târgu Jiu, Gaz Metan Mediaş or Unirea Alba Iulia. It was inevitably that this boy not to recive a transfer offer from a team that plays in a powerful championship. At only 20 years, he did not played more than 15 for Rapid in the first division, but performed so good that FC Koln spotted him, and want Ioniţă to join their club.

FC Koln bought Ioniță

The young forward signed a three year contract, but the Germans left him playing until the end of the 2009-2010 season at Rapid Bucureşti. It seemed like it was a great deal for both the Romanian club and the player, but untill now it didn’t prove exactly that way. Ioniţă never apeared on the pitch with the same determination, and this thing made the fans angry. He scored only four goals in the last part of the season, including the best goal of that year in Liga 1. Ioniţă played very good in only two games, but those where the most important for the supporters: against Steaua Bucureşti and against Dinamo Bucureşti. Even tough, he was acused of neglect and some people around him, warned that in this way he won’t “survive” at Koln. Ioniţă shocked when he said: “I’ll handle it in Germany, Romania is Romania…”. The boy that spent at least three hours going and comming from the daily training, usualy with the minibus and the subway, grew up. But not in the way that he’s fans want him to.

A false start for Alex Ioniță

At Koln he did not impressed. Being there for a half year he didn’t managed to become a first option in the starting team. Alex even suffered a muscle injury, which explains that his way of training at Rapid was far behind what he found in Germany. But the time is on his side. He did not played more than 100 minutes in 8 matches, but he still can become a great footballer. As I said before, I’ve not seen at many footballers at his age, to fire a shot in such an amazing way: Alex gives all his precision and all his force when he powers a strike. Usually, the opponent goalkeeper doesn’t stand a chance. Ioniţă can, and must succeed, because nature and his family gave him all he needed. He seems a educated boy, despite the arrogant attitude he had at the beginning of the year at Rapid. Come on Alex, show the Germans what you’ve got! Listen to what Balotelli said: “I want to be the best in the world!”. If he can say that, why don’t you can aim to become the best in Bundesliga?