View source for Dan Coe

{{short description|Romanian footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Dan Coe
| image = Dan Coe.jpg
| image_size = 180
| fullname = <!-- if different -->
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1941|09|08|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bucharest]], Romania<ref name=sr>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418100959/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/dan-coe-1.html Dan Coe]. sports-reference.com</ref>
| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|10|19|1941|09|08|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Cologne]], West Germany<ref name=sr/>
| currentclub = 
| height = 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
| position = [[Defender (association football)|Centre back]]
| youthyears1 = 1956–1962
| youthclubs1 = [[FC Rapid București|Rapid București]]
| years1 = 1962–1971
| years2 = 1971–1973
| years3 = 1973–1975
| clubs1 = [[FC Rapid București|Rapid București]]
| clubs2 = [[Royal Antwerp]]
| clubs3 = [[FCM Dunărea Galați|FC Galați]]
| caps1 = 202
| caps2 = 38
| caps3 = 35
| goals1 = 9
| goals2 = 6
| goals3 = 3
| totalcaps = 275
| totalgoals = 18
| nationalyears1 = 1963–1971
| nationalteam1 = [[Romanian national football team|Romania]]{{efn|name="ROM"|Including 12 appearances for Romania's Olympic team.<ref name=EU>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=3717|title=Dan Coe|publisher=European Football|access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref><ref name=NFT>{{NFT|29146}}</ref>}}
| nationalcaps1 = 41
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| manageryears1 = 
| managerclubs1 = 
| pcupdate = 
| ntupdate = 
}}

'''Daniel Coe''' (8 September 1941 – 19 October 1981) was a [[Romania]]n football defender. He was part of the Romanian team that reached quarterfinals at the [[1964 Summer Olympics]], and later participated at the [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970 World Cup]].<ref name=sr/>

==Club career==
[[File:Rapid București (fotbal) 1965.jpg|thumb|left|180px|{{center|Coe (back row, second from the left) with Rapid in 1965}}]]
Dan Coe, nicknamed ''Ministrul Apărării'' ("The Minister of Defence"), was born on 8 September 1941 in [[Bucharest]] and started playing football in 1956 at the junior squads of [[FC Rapid București|Rapid București]], winning the 1959–60 national junior championship after defeating [[FC UTA Arad|UTA Arad]] in the final.<ref name=a1>{{cite web|url=https://a1.ro/news/sport/8-septembrie-un-strigat-din-vechea-troie-id799473.html|title="Un strigăt din vechea Troie, Pentru faima lui Dan Coe"! 8 septembrie ziua în care s-a născut legendarul fundaș al Rapidului supranumit și "Ministrul Apărării"|publisher=A1.ro|language=Romanian |trans-title="A cry from old Troy, For the fame of Dan Coe"! September 8, the day on which the legendary defender of Rapid was born, nicknamed "The Minister of Defense"|date=7 September 2017|access-date= 3 October 2022}}</ref><ref name=RS>{{RomanianSoccer|435/dan-coe}}</ref><ref name=as>{{cite web|url=https://as.ro/fotbal/liga-1/pentru-faima-lui-dan-coe-ahoe-cine-se-spanzura-de-clanta-usii-188788.html|title=Pentru faima lui Dan Coe! AHOE! "Cine se spânzură de clanța ușii?"|publisher=As.ro|language=Romanian |trans-title=For Dan Coe's fame! AHOH! "Who hangs himself from the doorknob?"|date=11 May 2022|access-date= 3 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://adevarul.ro/sport/sinucidere-sau-crima-misterul-disparitiei-1738874.html|title=Sinucidere sau crimă? Misterul dispariției legendarului fotbalist Dan Coe|first=Adrian|last=Epure|newspaper=[[Adevărul]]|date=1 November 2016|language=ro}}<br>{{cite news|url=https://sport.hotnews.ro/stiri-fotbal-8498092-dan-coe-ministrul-apararii-sinucidere-asistata-sau-suprimare-comunista-mai-mult-decat-sport-poveste-viata-lupta.htm|title=Dan Coe, "ministrul apărării" din Giulești. O poveste de viață și lupta|first=Ionuț|last=Băiaș|newspaper=[[HotNews]]|date=13 April 2011|language=ro}}<br>{{cite web|url=http://glsa.ro/arad/109584-cinci-decenii-si-jumatate-de-la-primul-campionat-de-juniori-castigat-de-uta-pe-cand-juniorii-cresteau-ocrotiti-de-fotbalistii-legendari.html|title=Cinci decenii și jumătate de la primul campionat de juniori câștigat de UTA. Pe când juniorii creșteau ocrotiți de fotbaliștii legendari|publisher=glsa.ro|language=Romanian|trans-title=Five decades and a half from the first junior championship won by UTA. From the time when juniors grew protected by legendary footballers|access-date=6 October 2017|archive-date=7 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007021059/http://glsa.ro/arad/109584-cinci-decenii-si-jumatate-de-la-primul-campionat-de-juniori-castigat-de-uta-pe-cand-juniorii-cresteau-ocrotiti-de-fotbalistii-legendari.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He started his senior career at Rapid, making his [[Liga I|Divizia A]] debut on 18 March 1962 in a 1–1 with [[CS Viitorul Minerul Lupeni|Minerul Lupeni]].<ref name=a1/><ref name=RS/><ref name=as/> 
[[File:Dan Coe 1964.jpg|thumb|left|180px|{{center|Coe during a [[1964–65 Divizia A]] match against Dinamo București}}]]
He remained with Rapid for ten seasons, being for a while the team's captain, winning the league title in the [[1966–67 Divizia A|1966–67]] season when coach [[Valentin Stănescu]] used him in 26 matches.<ref name=a1/><ref name=RS/><ref name=as/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/menu_items/champions.shtml|title=Romania National Champions |publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref> In the following season, Coe played four games in the [[1967–68 European Cup]], helping ''The Railwaymen'' eliminate [[Botev Plovdiv|Trakia Plovdiv]] and advance to the following round where they were eliminated by [[Juventus FC|Juventus]].<ref name=RS/><ref>{{cite web|publisher=WorldFootball|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/dan-coe/champions-league-1967-1968/rapid-bucuresti/3/|title=Dan Coe - Champions League 1967/1968|access-date=5 March 2024}}</ref> He reached two [[Cupa României]] finals with Rapid, the first under the guidance of coach [[Ion Mihăilescu]] who did not use him in the loss with [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]] in [[1962 Cupa României final|1962]] and the second took place in [[1968 Cupa României final|1968]] when Stănescu used him all the minutes in the eventual 3–1 loss with [[FC Dinamo București|Dinamo București]], also he played four games in the [[Inter-Cities Fairs Cup]] and won two [[Balkans Cup]] with the club.<ref name=RS/><ref name=RSCR>{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1961_1962.shtml|title=Romanian Cup – Season 1961–1962|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=28 September 2024}}</ref><ref name=RSCR2>{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1967_1968.shtml|title=Romanian Cup – Season 1967–1968|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=28 September 2024}}</ref> For the way he played in 1967, Coe was placed fifth in the ranking for the [[Romanian Footballer of the Year (Gazeta Sporturilor)|Romanian Footballer of the Year]] award.<ref name=rsssf>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/roempoy.html|title=Romania - Player of the Year Awards|publisher=Rsssf.org|language=en|access-date=28 September 2024}}</ref> During these years, Rapid's fans would have a special chant during the games dedicated to him:"A cry from ancient Troy, Ahoy! To Dan Coe's fame, Ahoy! And once again, because it's allowed, Ahoy!"<ref name=a1/>

In 1971, Coe managed to earn a transfer in [[Belgium]] at [[Royal Antwerp]], being one of the few Romanian footballers that was allowed by the [[Socialist Republic of Romania|communist regime]] to play in [[Western Europe]].<ref name=a1/><ref name=RS/><ref name=as/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cotidianul.ro/pe-timpul-lui-ceausescu-fotbalistii-romani-au-invadat-turcia-157478/|title=Pe timpul lui Ceauşescu fotbaliştii români au invadat Turcia|publisher=Cotidianul.ro|language=Romanian |trans-title=During Ceausescu's time, Romanian footballers invaded Turkey|date=11 September 2011|access-date= 3 October 2022}}</ref> After two years in which he played 38 games and scored eight goals in the [[Belgian First Division]], he came back to Romania, playing for [[Liga II|Divizia B]] club, [[FCM Dunărea Galați|FC Galați]], helping the club earn promotion to Divizia A, where in the following season on 8 December 1974 he made his last appearance in the competition in a 6–0 loss in front of [[CS Universitatea Craiova|Universitatea Craiova]], having a total of 214 Divizia A matches played with 12 goals scored.<ref name=RS/><ref name=as/>

==International career==
[[File:Echipa României (fotbal) 1963.jpg|thumb|right|235px|{{center|Coe in 1963 (front row, first from the left) with Romania's Olympic team in [[Copenhagen]], Denmark}}]]
{{Quote box|
 width=20%
|align=left
|quote="If in 1966 I had a defender to mark me like Dan Coe did today, Portugal would have never reached the semi-finals"
|source=–[[Eusébio]]'s words after [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]]'s 1–0 loss in front of [[Romania national football team|Romania]] at the [[1970 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 1|1970 World Cup qualifiers]]<ref name=a1/>}}
Coe played 29 games in which he was captain six times and scored two goals at international level for [[Romania national football team|Romania]], making his debut on 12 May 1963 when coach [[Silviu Ploeșteanu]] sent him on the field in the 30th minute in order to replace [[Ion Nunweiller]] in a friendly which ended with a 3–2 victory against [[East Germany national football team|East Germany]].<ref name=EU/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=13364|title=Romania – East Germany 3:2|publisher=European Football|access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref> He played six games in which he scored one goal in a 3–1 away loss against [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]] at the [[1966 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4|1966 World Cup qualifiers]] and made three appearances at the [[UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying Group 6|Euro 1968 qualifiers]].<ref name=EU/> Coe also played four games at the successful [[1970 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 1|1970 World Cup qualifiers]], having an appreciated performance in front of [[Eusébio]] in Romania's 1–0 home victory against [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]], being selected by coach [[Angelo Niculescu]] to be part of the squad from the [[1970 FIFA World Cup|final tournament]], however without playing a single match.<ref name=EU/><ref name=adevarul>{{cite web|url=https://adevarul.ro/sport/un-salut-din-vechea-troie-pentru-faima-lui-dan-1303366.html|title="Un salut din vechea Troie, pentru faima lui Dan Coe!"|publisher=Adevărul|language=Romanian |trans-title="Greetings from old Troy, to Dan Coe's fame!"|date=24 June 2011|access-date= 3 October 2022}}</ref> Dan Coe played his last game for the national team on 16 May 1971 in a 1–0 loss against [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]] at the [[UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying Group 1|Euro 1972 qualifiers]].<ref name=EU/>

He also played for [[Romania Olympic football team|Romania's Olympic team]], being chosen by coach Ploeșteanu to be part of the [[Football at the 1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Summer Olympics]] squad from [[Tokyo]] where he made four appearances, helping the team finish on the fifth place.<ref name=sr/><ref name=EU/><ref>{{cite web|publisher=WorldFootball|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/dan-coe/olympische-spiele-1964/rumaenien-olymp-team/3/|title=Dan Coe - Olympic Games 1964|access-date=3 October 2022}}<br>{{cite web|url=https://theplaymaker.ro/ultima-participare-a-romaniei-la-olimpiada-1964-sfert-cu-ungaria/5341/|title=Cum a fost ultima participare a României la Olimpiadă, în 1964, când "tricolorii" au pierdut dramatic sfertul cu Ungaria|publisher=Theplaymaker.ro|language=Romanian |trans-title=How was Romania's last participation in the Olympics, in 1964, when "The Tricolors" dramatically lost the quarter to Hungary|date=27 June 2019 |access-date=28 September 2024}}</ref>

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first. "Score" column indicates the score after each Dan Coe goal.''<ref name=EU/>
<!---Repeat entries indicate more than one goal in a single game--->
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
|1. || 19 September 1965 || [[Great Strahov Stadium|Stadion Československé Armády]], [[Prague]], [[Czechoslovakia]] || {{Fb|Czechoslovakia}} ||align="center"|'''1'''–1 || align="center"|1–3 || [[1966 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4|1966 World Cup qualifiers]]
|-
|2. || 17 November 1966 || [[Stadionul Ilie Oană|Petrolul Stadium]], [[Ploieşti]], [[Romania]] || {{Fb|POL}} ||align="center"|'''4'''–3 || align="center"|4–3 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|}

==Personal life==
His father, Duce Coe was also a footballer and captain of [[FC Sportul Studențesc București|Sportul Studențesc București]] and also an [[Iron Guard]] legionnaire.<ref name=a1/><ref name=adevarul/><ref name=prosport>{{cite web|url=https://www.prosport.ro/fotbal-intern/liga-1/o-poveste-fascinanta-cum-a-driblat-securitatea-duce-coe-tatal-lui-dan-coe-legendarul-capitan-al-rapidului-special-19383920|title=O poveste de-a dreptul fabuloasă: cum a driblat Securitatea Duce Coe, tatăl lui Dan Coe, legendarul capitan al Rapidului|publisher=Prosport.ro|language=Romanian |trans-title=A downright fabulous story: how did Duce Coe, the father of Dan Coe, the legendary captain of the Rapid, dribbled the Securitate|date=16 December 2021|access-date= 3 October 2022}}</ref>

==Death==
After he ended his playing career, he obtained permission from the [[Socialist Republic of Romania|communist regime]] to go on a trip in [[Belgium]], but after he arrived there he settled in [[Cologne]], [[West Germany]] as a political refugee.<ref name=a1/><ref name=adevarul/><ref name=prosport/><ref name=prosport2>{{cite web|url=https://www.prosport.ro/fotbal-intern/strania-moarte-a-lui-dan-coe-dezvaluiri-cutremuratoare-la-40-de-ani-de-la-decesul-neelucidat-criminalistul-nu-a-mai-intalnit-un-caz-in-care-victima-sa-se-spanzure-de-clanta-usii-ex-19387699|title=Strania moarte a lui Dan Coe! Dezvăluiri cutremurătoare la 40 de ani de la decesul neelucidat: "Criminalistul nu a mai întâlnit un caz în care victima să se spânzure de clanța ușii"|publisher=Prosport.ro|language=Romanian |trans-title=The strange death of Dan Coe! Shocking revelations 40 years after the unexplained death: "The criminalist has never encountered a case in which the victim hanged himself from the door handle"|date=26 December 2021|access-date= 3 October 2022}}</ref> Shortly after an interview on [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|Radio Free Europe]] in which he criticized Romania's communist regime, Coe was found dead in his apartment on 19 October 1981.<ref name=a1/><ref name=as/><ref name=adevarul/><ref name=prosport/><ref name=prosport2/> His wife and his daughter found him hanged by the door handle with a rope around his neck and with his knees close to his mouth.<ref name=a1/><ref name=as/><ref name=adevarul/><ref name=prosport/><ref name=prosport2/> The criminologist that investigated the case told them that he had never seen someone hang himself in such a way, therefore he recorded it as a suspicious death and it was subsequently believed that he was killed at the behest of the Romanian [[Securitate]], but this has never been proven, his friend and fellow Romanian political refugee, Nora Nagy saying years later to the press:"I don't remember what Dan said at Free Europe. Anyway, once I got here I didn't pay that much attention to the station's broadcasts, but Dan was outspoken and always spoke his mind. However, I noticed one thing. After the collaboration with Free Europe began, all sorts of dubious characters began to appear around him. I suspected many of them to have connections with the [[Securitate]]".<ref name=a1/><ref name=as/><ref name=adevarul/><ref name=prosport/><ref name=prosport2/>

==Honours==
'''Rapid București'''
*[[Liga I|Divizia A]]: [[1966–67 Divizia A|1966–67]]<ref name=RS/>
*[[Cupa României]] runner-up: [[1961–62 Cupa României|1961–62]], [[1967–68 Cupa României|1967–68]]<ref name=RSCR/><ref name=RSCR2/>
*[[Balkans Cup]]: [[1963–64 Balkans Cup|1963–64]], [[1964–66 Balkans Cup|1964–66]]<ref name=RS/>

'''FC Galați'''
*[[Liga II|Divizia B]]: [[1973–74 Divizia B|1973–74]]<ref name=RS/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{NFT player|29146}}
*[http://www.rafcmuseum.be/spelersarchief/spelersfiche.php?id=55 Dan Coe] at Rafcmuseum.be {{in lang|nl}}

{{Romania Squad 1964 Summer Olympics}}
{{Romania Squad 1970 World Cup}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coe, Dan}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Bucharest]]
[[Category:Romanian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Romania men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Romanian defectors]]
[[Category:Liga I players]]
[[Category:Liga II players]]
[[Category:FC Rapid București players]]
[[Category:Royal Antwerp F.C. players]]
[[Category:FCM Dunărea Galați players]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Romania]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:1970 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium]]
[[Category:Belgian Pro League players]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Suicides by hanging in Germany]]
[[Category:Romanian emigrants to West Germany]]
[[Category:20th-century Romanian sportsmen]]