Article by Alexandru Barbu, Romeo Ene – Published Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 11:45 / Updated Tuesday, May 26, 2026 11:48
Daniel Pancu (48 years old), still the coach cf.was present at GSP Live and talked about the tumultuous period in Gruia. Entered into a remote exchange with President Iuliu MuresanPancu provided details about the grievances during this mandate.
The technician, who has already agreed with Rapid, revealed the backstage of the break with the formation from Gruia. Although he managed to right the ship on the move and propel the CFR to the third step of the podium, Daniel Pancu felt that his work of seven months was being undermined.
“Pancone” explained that his burning desire was to maintain the basic skeleton for next season and for the course in European cups, something that proved to be impossible in Gruia.
VIDEO | Daniel Pancu, on GSP Live: “I was left out. In the last week I was expecting at least someone to come and thank us for the fantastic performance”
“For my part, the conflict did not escalate. It ended badly. It was supposed to be the most beautiful story, I have never seen a story like this.
In Romania I don't know of a comparable one and I've been watching football for a long time. The players were very valuable and we finished 3rd, even though we lost important players in the winter.
There were some statements without any meaning. It was simple: I don't feel good in one place, even if I have two years left on my contract. I have become the Maradona of coaches, don't let the world let me leave a place. That was the impression.
I didn't accuse anyone. The training base was the last problem. For me, the thing that interested me the most, and I'm sure it couldn't be solved, was about keeping the team. It's been my job for seven months.
You can't compare to what it was seven months ago. I told them: “Keep this team for me, I want three more transfers and we become favorites for the championship after six stages next season”. That was my biggest wish.
And two or three players if they leave from the regular starters, given that you play in Europe… If we weren't playing in Europe it was simple, five could leave. But you play in Europe.
I was abandoned. In the last week I was expecting at least someone to come and thank us for the fantastic performance, in some very difficult conditions and where we started from.
Nothing happened, as if it was something normal. Disgruntled players would come to me. There are things that bothered me, they burdened me”, said Daniel Pancu at GSP Live.
Daniel Pancu at Liverpool :). Image generated by artificial intelligence and published on the personal Instagram account, as irony for the situation at CFR Cluj
Pancu, shocked by what he found at CFR Cluj: “I don't think I'll encounter something like this again in my career”
Pancu explained that the problems were so big at CFR when he came, that he is convinced that he will not face such a situation again in his career.
“Both me and the players are in arrears. I've been saying for a month that I want to leave. It shouldn't have ended like this at CFR Cluj. We'd shake hands, you'd give me a bouquet of flowers instead of mud and we'd go home. There are so many free, very good coaches who can coach CFR. I didn't see where the problem was.
I told them that I want to strengthen the team, the players to be satisfied, even if in the culture of the club such things have happened before. Mr. Varga did not bother me at all. He put in tens of millions of euros.
The situation at CFR cannot be compared to anything at all. I don't think I will encounter anything like that again in my career, as a perception and as a real situation, what was there. But it's already history. I don't think I will find a situation like that again”, added Daniel Pancu.
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