Rapid extended, at subliminal level, the centenary, to 2024. In the hope the season to come – which now has ended – will be better than the 2022-2023, that ended in a 5th place. Rapid Bucharest entered the play-off in second place, fairly away from fcsb, but without signaling what was about to happen. Basically, a relegation in shame. 6th place with eight loses out of 10 matches prove the big errors were made. How? Fast… backward. Adrian Mutu, a very weak coach, but who had his one and only good season at Rapid, goes for some additional pennies to train in Azerbaijan, so Rapid needs to replace him fast. The worst decision is taken: Cristiano Bergodi is appointed. A guy that spent two fractions of spells at Rapid in the past, with zero relevant results.

Cristiano Bergodi… bad solution in 2007 and 2015… good solution in 2023?!

First mandate was in 2007, ended after 10-12 matches, and the second one in 2015. Which ended in the team’s relegation. How could this guy be a solution? Fortunately, the team started with a lot of hick-ups, and I was hoping to repair the mistake. Bergodi’s chair was shivering severely. Bogdan Lobonț was appointed, allegedly, as goalkeeper coach, but it was obvious that he was the one set to be the quickest replacement. A guy with a catastrophic coaching career, worse than Mutu, but with some pitch of new and potential refreshing air in the dressing roam. But then, it happened. Rapid started not necessary impressing, but not losing. You can’t sack Bergodi anymore, of course, because this is how the world works. You need to earn, not to deliver. Things went boring, maintained by the fact that all other clubs were as weak as Rapid Bucharest, in terms of “football” playing. Even when Rapid bound eight official games without a single win, even if it played with hilarious teams, Bergodi didn’t look to be in danger.

Rapid second, Bergodi sacked after four shameful defeats

But it happened! Rapid finished second in the regular season, and Bergodi, mistakenly, was seen as a savior, a professional. What a joke! We where talking about the title, but everything was set on sand. The play-off started and disaster struck: Rapid lost four games in a row, shamefully, and, in the end, Bergodi, was sacked. Too late. Far too late! Now, the scenario with Lobonț as head coach came to fruition, but this decision, at this point in time, proved to be even worst than keeping Bergodi. Lobonț was not respected by the players, partly because of his lack of coaching quality career, and partly, most likely, because he was perceived as Bergodi’s handy-man. We like it or not, this is the perception the second / goalkeeping coaches have. Especially in Romania. So, obviously, Lobonț couldn’t do anything. Only four points with… fcsb, but that was obtained by the players appetite. Once again, they proved that if they wanted to play football, they could. This is the biggest frustration. You can perform, but you don’t have the mood to, just because you are paid handsomely without being held accountable.

Neil Lennon, and all my hopes

Of course, Cristiano Bergodi was the main problem, but also many players were absolutely useless. In fact, not useless, but they sabotaged Rapid’s hopes. But it would be a too long list to explain why names such as Cristea, Oaidă, Djokovic, Cârjan, should not be brought, or why Borza and Aioani were bought with too much money. Or… why Albion Rrahmani faded comparing to his potential. It is a lot to be debated, but it will be useless. Now, for the next season, the board seem to, finally, take a proper decision in terms of a head coach: Neil Lennon! Nobody knows how this will turn out, but at least it is something new, different, without rotten roots in the Romanian football. Let’s hope Rapid will look like it should look, with players that are paid for what and how they play, not because they have to be paid.  After a catastrophic season under obsolete Cristiano Bergodi, there are hopes for a better shaped future. It might not work, of course, but it is worth trying!