Article by Alexandru Stanciu – Published Tuesday, 26 May 2026 23:35 / Updated Tuesday, 26 May 2026 23:35
Former Romanian international Marius Lăcătuș (62 years old) believes that bringing Daniel Pancu (48 years old) to Rapid is the “perfect choice”, considering his successful performance as a technician this season at CFR Cluj, but also the past that connects him to Giulesti, both as a footballer and as a coach.
“Pancone” confirmed for GSP.ro that he will go to Rapid, after Victor Angelescu, the president of the club, had previously announced that Pancu is 99% the new coach of the team, who parted ways with Constantin Gâlcă after missing the goal, qualification in the European cups.
Marius Lăcătuș, about bringing Daniel Pancu to Rapid: “The perfect choice”
“They came after these results. You end up finishing 3rd in the league and playing in the European cups, and then you throw mud at everything that's been done there.
I suspect that it was not only Pancu who did this, but he made a huge contribution to achieving this result. But he was also supported by those around him.
If we sit and think about the results obtained with the CFR, the fact that everyone knows that it is a rapidist, surely it is the perfect choice.
But, as we all know, in Giulești, when you propose some great goals and you are in a situation where you cannot fulfill them, there may be reactions, even to Pancu. Let's not forget that there were also others who left”, said Marius Lăcătuș, according to digisport.ro.
The former Rapid forward coached the team in the lower leagues, and in the summer he returns to the club of his soul. He accepted the proposal of the white-cherries, where he will return after 6 years. Pancu was A1 in Giulesti between 2018 and 2020. Then he worked at Poli Iași, Romania U20, Romania U21. From November 2025, he is at CFR Cluj.
At Rapid, he will collaborate again with Marius Bilașco, who resigned from CFR Cluj during the current season.
