OK, so the football season is over for Rapid Bucharest. Even though the fans hopped for a qualification in the Europe Conference League, a kind of Intertoto Cup, this never happened, after two brutally abnormal defeats in the last two matches, against FCU and CS Mioveni, two “umplutura” teams, as we say in Romania. Of course, after seven wins and a draw, the two results made people question Mutu’s coach capacity. Well, I have questioned it from the beginning, as it didn’t exist, but now I don’t find it suitable to accuse Adi Mutu, the trainer, for the final output. Place 9 in the table is not that bad, I mean. It can be higher next year, when the team will celebrate the centenary. Many think they can win even the league title, but that is possible, only if things go perfect outside the football field. On the pitch, little can be done. Maybe a 3rd or 4th place, but not more.
Regardless, what I want to capture in the following impressions is that apart from a few footballers, the rest don’t know football at all or they know so little they just cannot express themselves. There is a type of former footballers, that knew what to bring on the table, but their epoque passed some years ago. These being said, I’ll concentrate not on who is a poor achiever, but the ones who can play at a serious level. You might think my decision is linked to the fact that I don’t want to put the others in the spot. Non-sense, I am just lazy, because the ones who deserve my writing are significantly fewer comparing to the ones that should not enter a football pitch higher than third league. Anyway, please continue to read, one by one, those who I think Rapid should use as a bedrock for next season, a significant one from the history of the club.
The captain
Cristian Săpunaru is the captain and not only this, he is the best football player Romania had after Mutu and Chivu. Without any doubt. He is by far the best from League 1 and this happens even though he has 38 years! OK, he is not the same as he was 12 years ago when winning Europe League with FC Porto, but for the Romanian League… well, he can play up to 45 years. At least. Some “journalists” accused him of being aggressive, but in reality, this guy is a true leader on the pitch and he should be Romanian national team’s captain. OK, considering what colleagues should he had if to be playing for this, it is better he decided to retire. Still, his attitude and performance make him an example and a proof that once he will be out of the game, nobody can replace his charisma and footballing quality.
The jewel
Rareș Ilie was from the very beginning when I saw him a winning bet. He’s now 19 years old only, but still on a growing curve. He achieved so many things this season and there is room for much, much more. The youngster is the best Romania does have, no doubt about it, and if he will continue to follow rightly his path, then I think he might become the next no. 10 of the national team. OK, in these days it is not a big achievement, but considering his father was not a footballer, like it is a common practice in Romanian football, his achievement will be as double as valuable. Just wait and see. I have told people from two years ago he has the technique, physique and vision of a great footballer. If he’ll take more and more advantage of his qualities, then you’ll see a huge player.
The child, back home. At Rapid!
Alexandru Ioniță II – born an raised in Giulești, Alex was a sensation from the very beginning, but after he left his career declined severely until the point that he was took back to Rapid to get a second chance in his career. At just 26 years! Now, the move paid off and even though Alex is not close to cover his full potential, his performance improved and, as I was expected, if he wants, he can become one of the top players in Romanian football. Not only from this period, because this should not be that hard – but it might be if he doesn’t follow the right path – but considering he is nearly 28 now he still got 4-5 full years in which he can prove that his talent can match his performance. He is a key player for Rapid in the following seasons, or at least should be.
Rapid “discovered” him
Alexandru Albu – a transfer about many knew less at the beginning, the midfielder that played at UTA, Concordia Chiajna and Academica Clinceni, small teams, behaved brilliantly and shined heavily from the very beginning. He had downs as well, but Albu seems the kind of player that every team in League 1 wants. He is for sure a success story and I can bet he’ll become even better in the such special season that stays in front of us!
To become the greatest!
Horațiu Moldovan – without any doubt, the potential best goalkeeper that Romania had in the last 15 years, after Dani Coman. Truth being said, Florin Niță is still better yet, but at 35 years of age, comparing to Moldovan’s 24, signals a huge appetite for growth that I can clearly see for the man born in Cluj-Napoca. In at least half of the games of the season he literally sealed the goal! I mean, Rapid wouldn’t finish ninth in the table if Moldovan wouldn’t have been there. This is not an “if” or “maybe”, but a clear fact. Rapid has the best goalkeeper they can.
The best transfer in the winter time for Rapid
Mattias Käit – the midfielder from Estonia looked to be a great transfer from the very beginning. For somebody who knows football it was enough to check his CV a bit and see some images and you can be sure about that. Plus he comes from a country where football is treated as serious it can be. So he confirmed to be a good bargain, he delivered properly and brought a lot of clarity at the middle. He is for sure one of the few quality foreigners transfer by Rapid in recent years and it seems to be a key player for what is about to come.
The total right back
Claudiu Belu – an aggressive, surprisingly good right back, considering his previous career. He indeed met the expectations, but unfortunately he got a lot of suspensions because of his style of play. Non the less, he looks to be the best defensive winger from Rapid by far and he shows some additional potential to grow. Just let’s wait and see, but I think he remains the best solution, if fit, as a right back for 2022-2023 season.
Rapid can rely on them, but they need to catch up
The following list consists of either players like could deliver much more, but we should be a bit indulgent with them, as they had some strong reasons. For example, Ștefan Pănoiu and Antonio Sefer they are still young – especially the first mentioned – and need to be encouraged more. On the other hand, the injury problems hold back the likes of Dragoș Grigore and Răzvan Onea, but they look ready to be held for at least one year more. A question mark, here, remains above Junior Morais. He looks to old and aggressive to continue, but on the other hand, Rapid is still missing a suitable alternative. Enrichi Finica looks to deserve a chance, but for the moment, Morais needs either to remain, or to have a solid substitute, because otherwise the flank will be fully exposed.
Who needs to go. Ugrently!
Apart from these guys and Virgil Drăghia, whom is an ideal second choice goalkeeper, Rapid should not be keeping any player above 20 years. I mean… Acuna already left – like he never even played for the team – and many more should follow. Who? Well, for obvious reasons: Dandea, Crepulja, Goge, Carnat, Hlistei, Alami, Moise, Stahl, Marzouk, Bălan, Vojtus. OK, from the last two, maybeeee one should be kept, as anyway it is very hard to find an attacker who actually scores goals, but the rest cannot match the expectations of a team like Rapid that celebrates 100 years.
OK, by chance, you can reach the play-off. And what to do there? Behave like Voluntari, Farul or Argeș? With these guys it is the one and only recipe. Unfortunately… All of them had some contribution, but not enough, if you want to aim high. Or at least higher. From what I have presented, until further transfers, Rapid’s team for the festive 2022-2023 should look like:
Moldovan – Belu, Săpunaru, Grigore, Morais (maybe!) – Sefer, Albu, Käit, Pănoiu – Ilie, Ioniță II
Photograph: FC Rapid 1923 Facebook