CFR Cluj and Universitatea Craiova have learned the lessons of a tough season in which their owners kept changing the composition of the technical bench until dust was chosen for the main objective, winning the title. However, the end of the play-off showed us that, in the next season, things will be completely different.
Gigi Becali, FCSB financier. PHOTO: The Truth Archive
“If you have the impression that a professional is expensive, it's because you don't know how much an incompetent one costs you in the end!“. Here is a saying that Neluțu Varga (CFR Cluj financier) and Mihai Rotaru (U Craiova shareholder) were convinced of. Hardly, admittedly, but better late than never. On paper, these two teams should have battled Gigi Becali's FCSB for the title. Shockingly, however, the team from Berceni, a standard of amateurism, managed to outclass its rivals in a crucial chapter, long before winning the title: the stability of the technical bench!
While FCSB approached this season with the couple Pintilii – Charalambous on the bench and at and ended with the two executors of the boss, in Cluj and Craiova the composition of the technical bench kept changing, as can be seen below:
*CFR Cluj: Andrea Mandorlini (stages 1-22), Adrian Mutu (stage 23 – stage 2 of the play-off), Francisc Dican (stages 3-8 of the play-off), Dan Petrescu (stage 8- aa the play-off).
*University of Craiova: Eugen Neagoe (stages 1-2), Laurenţiu Reghecampf (stages 3-9), Corneliu Papură (stages 10-15), Ivailo Petev (stage 16 – stage 3 of the play-off), Dragoş Bon ( 4th stage of the play-off), Constantin Gâlcă (from the 5th stage of the play-off).
Naturally, after such a debacle, FCSB had the advantage, where there was at least one “organized chaos“: Becali dictated, and his subordinates executed.
Competence does not guarantee success, but the quality of work
At the end of this play-off, both CFR Cluj and the University of Craiova made two important appointments. Also exasperated by the repeated failures, Varga and Rotaru gave up on saving solutions, reached deep into their pockets and called on the services of competent coaches.
Thus, Dan Petrescu (56 years old) returned to Gruia, and Costel Gâlcă (52 years old) took over Science. The “Badger” has four titles won with CFR, while Gâlcă, in his last term in the domestic competition, at FCSB in the 2014-2015 season, won all the trophies: the title, the Romanian Cup and the League Cup.
Whether Petrescu and Gâlcă will repeat, in the next season, their good results from the past remains to be seen. Because, in football, there is an unwritten rule: competence does not guarantee success, but quality of work. For now, the first signs are promising for CFR and Craiova. From some lineups with big syncopes, they managed to finish the play-off strong.
CFR Cluj won three matches in three games with “Super Dan”, ensuring its presence in the Conference League preliminaries. It should be noted that, a month after being destroyed by Farul in the 5th stage of the play-off, 1-5 in Ovidiu, without Dan Petrescu, CFR managed to get its revenge, this time with “Bursucul ” on the bench: 5-1 with Farul in Cluj!
And Craiova University also has a positive record with Gâlcă: 6 matches, 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat. Goal difference: 13-8. From here, the statement given by the owner Mihai Rotaru, immediately after the success with Sepsi on Saturday: “I'm happy for Costel (no – Gâlcă), he has an average of 2.16 points per game in the play-offs. By simple math, in the regular season he had more points, because there would have been easier games. Next year, we want the title. After 34 years, we want this. There are people who did not experience this joy in Craiova“.
Şucu refused “Manelism” at Rapid
Not only CFR and Craiova opted for the appointment of competent coaches for the next season. The same thing happened at Rapid, under the command of Dan Șucu. As expected, he refused to appoint Marius Șumudica to the bench, although there was a suffocating pressure on him, both from the heads of the gallery and from some journalists close to the 53-year-old technician. However, Şucu put his foot in the threshold and considered that “football manelism“He has nothing to do with Rapid.
Today, the Giulești formation will formalize the appointment of Neil Lennon (52 years old) on the bench. The Northern Irishman coached Celtic in two terms (2010-2014 and 2019-2021) and also worked in the Championship at Bolton (2014-2016). His CV also includes spells at Hibernian (2016-2019) and Omonia Nicosia (2022). His best results were, of course, at Celtic: five titles, four cups and the Scottish Super Cup. In Cyprus, Lennon took the cup, in the 2021-2022 season.
Stoic, realistic. Becali, euphoric
With Lennon's imminent arrival at Rapid, the title fight will be even tougher next season. Mihai Stoica, the president of the Board of Directors at FCSB, admitted this, noting, first of all, the change of the CFR for the better.
“I knew that CFR would look better with the arrival of Dan Petrescu. For Nelutu Varga, bringing Petrescu is an important gain. We hope to keep our important players and bring in other players and fight (no – for the title, next year)“, said Stoica, at Orange Sport.
If Meme is anchored in reality and has realized that the story of the next championship will be very different from the one that just ended, on the other hand, Gigi Becali, euphoric after the triumph of this season, is in his world. The one in which a coach of international caliber believes.
“Until then, I was saying bring me teams (no – in the title fight). Now, I tell you to bring me trainers. What Gâlca? It's not my size. Petrescu, Lucescu, Hagi are my size. I want Mircea Lucescu at Rapid, to have someone to fight with“, recently said the landowner from Pipera.
30,000
Of euro per month is Dan Petrescu's salary at CFR Cluj.
20,000
Of euro per month is won by Costel Gâlcă at the University of Craiova.
Play-off, 10th stage (last)
Saturday
CFR Cluj – Farul 5-1
Craiova University – Sepsi 3-2
Yesterday
Fast – FCSB 2-0
Ranking
1. FCSB 49 points
2. CFR Cluj 46p*
3. University of Craiova 44p*
4. Constanta Lighthouse 36p*
5. Sepsis 34p*
6. Fast 32p*
*teams that benefited from rounding up the score.
**FCSB participates in the Champions League, and CFR Cluj in the Conference League. The University of Craiova will play a play-off with the University of Cluj, the goal being access to the Conference League preliminaries.
Play-off matches in domestic football
The play-off for retention / promotion in the Superliga
Friday
FC Botoșani – CS Mioveni 1-0
The second leg will be played on May 24, from 8:00 p.m
Conference League play-offs
Yesterday
Oțelul Galati – Cluj University 0-2
The winner will meet the 3rd place holder in the play-off for access to the Conference League preliminaries.
The play-off for retention / promotion in the Superliga
Today, 20.00
Dinamo – Csikszereda
It will be played at the National Arena. The second leg will be played on May 27, from 8:00 p.m.
