Munteanu agrees to coach struggling Pitesti

BUCHAREST, Oct 5 (Reuters) Former Romanian international Dorinel Munteanu has agreed to coach championship strugglers Arges Pitesti, just one day after he resigned as player-coach of CFR Cluj after falling out with club officials.

The 38-year-old Munteanu retired from the international side earlier this week and faces a tough task to reverse the fortunes of table-dwelling Pitesti, who have picked up just three points from 10 matches this season.

''A lot of people think I am mad to take over a team with just one win and nine defeats so far,'' Munteanu told Reuters on Thursday. ''But I consider this move as an interesting challenge for me.'' Munteanu, Romania's most-capped player with 131 appearances, will be given a transfer budget of around three million euros from ambitious club owner Cornel Penescu to strengthen the squad during the January transfer window.

''The level of investment is not important,'' Penescu was quoted as saying in several newspapers. ''He will receive the money he wants in order to accomplish his aims.

''I'm confident Munteanu will lead the team into European competition within the next two years of his contract.'' Munteanu's position at CFR Cluj will be filled by Italian Cristiano Begodi after the club's president Iuliu Muresan said the former National Bucharest coach had signed a short-term contract.

''Bergodi has agreed for a nine-month deal with us,'' Muresan told Reuters.

''The contract may be extended for another year if both sides agree.'' REUTERS AB PM1529