Coach Pancu Criticizes Rapid Bucharest's 'Fear of Performance' After Victory

Despite securing a convincing 3-1 victory against CFR Cluj, Rapid Bucharest's coach Daniel Pancu remained critical of his team's performance, particularly their second-half display. Pancu pointed to a lack of urgency and impact from the players introduced after halftime, suggesting they did not provide the necessary boost.

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The club doesn't have a mentality. It's not about the players!

Pancu elaborated on what he perceives as a fundamental issue within the club, stating, "The club doesn't have a mentality. It's not about the players!" He believes this "fear of performance" hinders the team, especially when playing at home. He stressed that this is a systemic issue, not solely the players' fault, and suggested it would take time to address.

"I hope to get to know the players by Christmas, in the second half of the season, I don't know!" Pancu remarked, indicating his ongoing evaluation of the squad. He acknowledged that the team is still in the process of identifying reliable players. The coach also confirmed that Rapid is still active in the transfer market, with at least two new players expected next week and potentially more to follow.

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I hope to get to know the players by Christmas, in the second half of the season, I don't know!

Pancu highlighted the team's first-half performance as "wonderful" in terms of rhythm and intensity, attributing the win partly to the supportive crowd. However, he expressed concern that even with a 3-0 lead, the team couldn't play with more composure. He contrasted this with the opponent's tactical setup, noting that CFR Cluj still retains many elements from his previous coaching tenure there. Pancu is looking for his team to show resilience in future matches, especially when falling behind at home.

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It is the fear of performance, we haven't played in the European cups since I was playing, I think I even scored a goal.