Daniel Pancu, the 49-year-old head coach of Rapid Bucharest, announced that 17-year-old midfielder Andrei Șucu will receive more playing time with the senior team.
Șucu made a notable impact during his debut at Giulești, scoring immediately after entering the field in the match against FC Argeș, which ended in a 3-1 victory for Rapid.
“I wanted to bring him on sooner; he has talent but is still a young player, turning 18 in December. He needs to work on his strength and explosiveness, but there’s a lot to develop. He will play more,” Pancu stated during his appearance on Gazeta Sporturilor.
Pancu Jokes about Competition with Șucu
Pancu humorously pointed out that the media attention surrounding Șucu’s debut has increased the competition between them, saying, “The biggest competition at Rapid is between me and Andrei Șucu, especially since I’ve been in the spotlight during this break in competition (laughs).”
As of now, Șucu has made just two appearances for Rapid’s senior team: one against FC Argeș and another in May 2025 against U Cluj.
Encouraging Playing Time in Liga II
Pancu has also encouraged Șucu to gain experience in Liga II, utilizing an agreement Rapid has with CSL Ștefăneștii de Jos for U21 players.
“He has played in short stints at Ștefănești. Any match experience will benefit him, whether it’s tackling opponents or gaining physical contact,” Pancu explained.
“If you send U21 players to train on Tuesdays in Liga II, that’s beneficial. But if you rush them into matches without proper preparation, it can be challenging. Players like Senciuc go week by week and perform well. He was born in 2007 and is preparing to be one of our ‘under’ players,” added the Rapid coach.
Pancu Observes Changes in Club Ownership
Pancu remarked on the transformation in the club’s main shareholder, Dan Șucu, over the past few months.
Upon his arrival, Pancu noted that the atmosphere was lifeless, affecting everyone from patrons to staff. However, he stated, “Football has no memory; what matters is how you present yourself today. You could see how down they were if they only suggested aiming for the playoffs (laughs)!”
Currently, he observes a more enthusiastic Dan Șucu, especially following the positive debut of his son with the team. “Now I feel he might be too enthusiastic… But he is adjusting to the club. He knows he must be cautious if he has faced setbacks in the past. You can’t take his enthusiasm away; he can say and do whatever he wants as the owner of the club,” Pancu noted.
Last year, there was a lot of enthusiasm. After the first playoff match, Rapid was in first place. What followed is hard to describe. It’s possible I may face a similar situation; they’ve experienced it with Bergodi,” said Daniel Pancu on GSP Live.
Currently, Rapid is in second place in the Superliga after 10 matches, having accumulated 21 points from 6 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss.
Watch the Full GSP Live Interview with Daniel Pancu
GSP Live, hosted by Alexandru Barbu, airs Monday through Friday at 11:00 AM on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and the Gazeta Sporturilor website.
