CSM Vaslui (men's handball)

{{Short description|Romanian men's handball team}} {{About|the men's handball team|for football team|CSM Vaslui (football)}} {{Infobox handball club | image = 160px | clubname = CSM Vaslui | fullname = Club Sportiv Municipal Vaslui | short name = Vaslui | founded = {{Start date and years ago|df=yes|1974}} | ground = Polyvalent Hall | capacity = 1,500 | chairman = {{flagicon|ROU}} Bogdan Florea | manager = {{flagicon|}} ''vacant'' | league = Liga Națională | season = 2021–22 | position = Liga Națională, 8th of 14 | website = http://csmvaslui.ro | colour1 = red | colour2 = blue | colour3 = white

| pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = _blackshoulders | pattern_ra2 = | pattern_sh2 = | leftarm2 = 000000 | body2 = 4b9cd4 | rightarm2 = 000000 | shorts2 = 4b9cd4 }}

'''Club Sportiv Municipal Vaslui''', commonly known as '''CSM Vaslui''', is a men's handball team from Vaslui, Romania. The team was founded in 1974 and promoted back in the Liga Națională in 2014, after 15 years of absence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vremeanoua.ro/hc-vaslui-a-promovat-in-liga-nationala|title=HC Vaslui a promovat în Liga Nationalã|language=ro|trans-title=HC Vaslui promoted to the National League|accessdate=6 June 2018|publisher=vremeanoua.ro|archive-date=30 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241230083935/https://www.vremeanoua.ro/hc-vaslui-a-promovat-in-liga-nationala|url-status=live}}</ref>

The team represents the handball section of the multi-sport club CSM Vaslui, which also include basketball, athletics and football sections. The team plays its home matches at Vaslui Polyvalent Hall, a sports hall with a capacity of 1,500 people.

== History == Men's handball in Vaslui dates back to 1974, when professor Neculai Popa and a group of athletes founded Metalul Vaslui, financially supported by the Vaslui Mechanical Enterprise, earning promotion to Divizia B a year later.<ref name="history">{{cite web|url=https://csmvaslui.ro/handbal/|title=Jucăm în Liga Zimbrilor|language=ro|trans-title=We play in the Bison League|accessdate=30 December 2024|publisher=csmvaslui.ro|archive-date=30 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241230083428/https://csmvaslui.ro/handbal/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportactual.ro/index.php/handbal/generatiiile-de-la-metalul-si-moldosin-vaslui-si-au-adus-aminte-de-clipele-frumoase-petrecute-in-polivalenta|title=Generațiiile de la Metalul și Moldosin Vaslui și-au adus aminte de clipele frumoase petrecute în Polivalentă|language=ro|trans-title=Generations from Metalul and Moldosin Vaslui remembered the beautiful moments spent in Polyvalent|accessdate=30 December 2024|publisher=sportactual.ro}}</ref>

Starting from 1982, the team was taken over by the Vaslui Synthetic Fiber Plant, and for ten seasons, the newly named Moldosin Vaslui established itself in the country's second tier. The golden era of men's handball in Vaslui spanned from 1992 to 1999, with Moldosin competing for seven consecutive years in the top national handball league. During this period, handball giants like Minaur, Steaua, Dinamo, and Fibrex Săvinești left Vaslui defeated, while the Sports Hall was consistently packed to capacity.<ref name="history"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportactual.ro/index.php/exclusiv/generatia-moldosin-nu-a-fost-uitata-de-vasluieni-piticul-din-saptele-vasluiului|title=Generația Moldosin nu a fost uitată de vasluieni: Piticul din ”șaptele” Vasluiului!|language=ro|trans-title=The Moldosin generation was not forgotten by Vaslui residents: The dwarf from the "seven" of Vaslui!|accessdate=30 December 2024|publisher=sportactual.ro}}</ref>

The team was promoted to the National League under the coaching duo of Paul Popescu and Liviu Gugleș. During their seven years in the league, other coaches also took charge, including Virgil Bedicov and Laurențiu Cozma (1996–1997), and Liviu Gugleș (1997–1999).

From the golden generation, notable players include Adrian Gavrilă, Gabriel Mardare, Gabriel Cozma, Lilian Cosma, Leonard Bibirig, and Vasile Cocuz, who won a bronze medal at the 1990 World Championship. The emblematic player of Vaslui handball remains Leonard Bibirig, who was also a member and captain of the national team.

Moldosin Vaslui also had a European presence. In 1994, the handball team participated in the City Cup Round of 32, facing the Slovak team Polnohospodar Topolcany. Unfortunately, the team's European journey ended after this double-header.<ref name="history"/>

With the economic collapse of the Synthetic Fiber Plant, the team was relegated to the second league, a period during which the Vaslui team was coached by Adrian Gavrilă, Paul Popescu, and Costică Crăciun.

==Honours== '''Divizia A''': *'''Winners 15px (2):''' 2014, 2019

== Kits ==

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:65% !colspan=6 ! style="color:white; background:red"| HOME |- |{{Football kit | pattern_la = _whiteborder | pattern_b = _whitecollar | pattern_ra = _whiteborder | pattern_sh = | pattern_so = | leftarm = FF0000 | body = FF0000 | rightarm = FF0000 | shorts = 000000 | socks = 000000 | title = 28px<br>2019–20 }} |}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:65% !colspan=6 ! style="color:white; background:red"| AWAY |- |{{Football kit | pattern_la = _navylower | pattern_b = _navyshoulders | pattern_ra = _navylower | pattern_sh = | pattern_so = | leftarm = 203b5a | body = 007FFF | rightarm = 203b5a | shorts = 007FFF | socks = 000000 | title = 28px<br>2017–18 }} |}

== Team == ===Current squad=== :''Squad for the 2025–26 season'' {{Col-begin}} {{Col-2}} ;Goalkeepers ;Left Wingers ;Right Wingers ;Line players {{Col-2}} ;Left Backs ;Central Backs *{{0}}{{0}} {{flagicon|LTU}} Aidenas Malašinskas ;Right Backs {{Col-end}}

===Transfers=== :''Transfers for the 2025–26 season'' {{Col-begin}} {{Col-2}} ;Joining Image:Arrow-up.png * {{flagicon|LTU}} Aidenas Malašinskas (CB) from {{flagicon|ROU}} HC Buzău<ref>https://handbalmania.ro/2025/07/25/cinci-jucatori-noi-la-csm-vaslui/</ref>

;Leaving Image:Arrow-down.gif * {{flagicon|MNE}} Danilo Mihaljević (GK) to {{flagicon|SVK}} HT Tatran Prešov<ref>https://cetinjskilist.com/danilo-mihaljevic-na-golu-tatran-presova/</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|http://csmvaslui.ro}} {{in lang|ro}} *{{Facebook|csmvaslui}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:HC Vaslui}} Category:Handball clubs in Romania Category:Sport in Vaslui Category:Handball clubs established in 1974 Category:1974 establishments in Romania Category:Liga Națională (men's handball) Category:Divizia A (men's handball)