Article by Alexandru Stanciu – Published on Thursday, 02 April 2026, 11:44 / Updated on Thursday, 02 April 2026 11:52
Ioan Ovidiu Sabău (58 years old), last coach at U Cluj, revealed that he was offered by the Romanian Football Federation about 5 years ago, but not for the position of selector. The technician had to refuse, being then involved in the “red caps” project.
Sabău was often proposed by several people in Romanian football for the position of selector, but in the end FRF called on Mircea Lucescu (80 years old) to replace Edward Iordănescu (47 years old), who left the national team following the course of EURO 2024, when the “tricolors” were eliminated in the “eighties” by the Netherlands, score 0-3.
Now, the place of “Il Luce” will be taken by Gică Hagi (61 years old), who is to be officially presented this month. The “Tricolors” once again missed the qualification for the World Championship, a tournament in which Romania has not participated since 1998, after the tie lost away to Turkey, score 0-1.
Ioan Ovidiu Sabău admitted that he was offered by FRF: “I had to refuse”
“The work and construction I did at Cluj University was appreciated. It was a lot of work, but it wasn't just my merit. I made a team as it should, worked for a year and a half and now the results are appearing”, declared Ioan Ovidiu Sabău, according to digisport.ro.
Asked if he had been contacted by FRF over the years, Sabău revealed: “For the position of selector, no. But for an important position in the Romanian Football Federation, yes, about 4-5 years ago. I had to refuse because I was involved in the project at Cluj University.”
Ioan Ovidiu Sabău started his coaching career in 2000 at U Cluj, which he coached 3 times. The other teams in the technician's career are: Gaz Metan, Gloria Bistrița, FCM Târgu Mureș and Rapid.
