He is the first coach willing to take over the position of selector after Lucescu's departure: “Yes, I'm thinking, for sure!”

In the middle of October, Sabău left U Cluj, after the failure at home, 0-2 against FC Botoșani.

Asked if he would be willing to take over the national team, he ruled it out at the moment, but he would not say no to the challenge after Lucescu's departure.

Ioan Ovidiu Sabău would like to be the Romanian coach: “Just like I was as a player”

The position of selector is a dream for Sabău, who has trained only club teams. He made a comparison with the time when he was a player, when he took things step by step, from the lowest level, to the national team.

“If I coached the national team? I can't allow myself to say at the moment because it's Mr. Lucescu and he's too important for me as a coach and a person and I wouldn't allow myself to…

(no – In case it wouldn't be) Yes, I think, for sure, any coach, who, as I was also as a player, I really wanted to reach the national team.

I set my short-term goal every time, at the juniors to play as a starter, then to catch the first team, then to go to an important club in Romania, to Dinamo for example, playing here was fantastic. I managed to catch the team, then the national team.

And as a player I started from League 3, easy, small but sure steps, checking, maturing, to see what this coaching job means.

Of course I couldn't say I wouldn't want to coach the national team, why not? It would be an extraordinary goal and challenge for me if this were to happen”, said Sabău, on the show “Totul pentru Dinamo”.

Ioan Ovidiu Sabău. PHOTO: Imago Images

• In 95 matches with Sabău on the bench, U Cluj achieved 37 victories, 29 draws and 29 defeats.

• U Cluj, Gaz Metan, Gloria Bistrița, Timișoara, FCM Târgu Mureș and Rapid are the clubs that Sabău has coached throughout his career.