WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : Romanians Now at Liberty to Be Freewheeling : Soccer: With passing of Ceausescu dictatorship, national team and an irascible press have room to express themselves.

The English-speaking reporters put the caps back on their pens and heaved a sigh. Oh, boy. Here we go . . . .

Two Romanian reporters and the Romanian team’s coach, Anghel Iordanescu, were arguing at a dead sprint during a news conference the other day and the translator had given up.

Welcome to the wild, Western world of soccer media, where with a deep baritone and a credential you too can take a cheap shot at a superstar.

But these are the Romanians, and for them a free press is all very new and exciting--for both sides.

“What happens when we have no access to media?” asked Gheorghe Hagi, the team’s superstar. “We get more respect with the media (attention). If we had a great performance, it could not be observed earlier (before 1989). You need advertising and press.”

And both sides remember when the rules were different.

“Before,” Hagi added with a slight laugh, “that was against the government’s way.”

When Romania competed in the 1990 World Cup, it was with the sound of gunshots still vivid in memory. The brief and bloody civil war in which communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown had ended only six months before the tournament in Italy.

Ceausescu had been the backbone of Romanian soccer, lavishing gifts and privileges on players, sponsoring teams, even fixing games.

The 1990 team was the last soccer tie to his regime.

Four years later, the Romanian team is the first world-class product of this newly free nation, and the players compete not for a dictator’s pleasure but for a people’s pride.

Snarling reporters are the voice of that pride.

“Football has grown up a lot,” Hagi said. “All of Romania has grown up a lot. Romania is trying to reach the level of the rest of Europe. The (soccer) federation and the country are trying to change and trying to remember something good.”

Said Iordanescu: “Before in the old system, our players had a lot of talent but they did not have opportunity to cultivate their image as players. Once the political system changed, players were able to travel beyond the borders of our country. What (the current success) represents is a change in the mentality of our players. They are developing a foreign mentality.”

And scaring foreign teams.

Considered filler to Group A’s Colombia, Switzerland and host-novelty United States, the Romanians whipped the Colombians, 3-1, and topped the United States, 1-0, for the group championship.

And the game against the Swiss? After being routed, 4-1, the Romanians showed a flare for the very Western art of spin control, blaming the media.

At the news conference, Mircea Angelescu, Romanian soccer federation vice president, said, “We have been honest with the media. We have not told you a player is injured and then you see that player on the field.”

The Swiss had announced before the game that three players would be out with injuries. Each of the three scored.

Near tears, Angelescu declared, “We are being honest and would be happy with some credit.”

Before a scribbling press, the players talked easily and confidently of moving into the semifinals, two games distant.

When asked if he would rather face Italy’s Roberto Baggio or Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov in the next round, Hagi said he would like to play both.

And of the victory over Colombia, Angelescu said, “We blew one of the biggest colored balloons in the tournament.”

No doubt about it--the once-stoic Romanians are taking on a media image not far from cocky.

“It’s good for ourselves; it’s good for our country,” Hagi said. “And now we’re going further. As an athlete you want to go further, but success means happiness and success means peace.”

Teams that always have a howling press to contend with call it “pressure.”

Not Iordanescu.

“It is a great pleasure for us to know we’re giving (home fans) something very happy,” he said.

Said goalkeeper Florin Prunea, who shut out the United States: “In Romania, soccer is the most popular sport and our advancing puts our country’s name in good standing.”

Right, said Iordanescu.

“Our country is in transition,” he added. “I’m not political, I belong to sports. But back home we have very big difficulties which now are easier because of our boys,” and turning, he pointed to where his players had been seated, “because they brought satisfaction through sport.”

Put that in your notebook.