Dan Petrescu’s managerial limbo – The story of a dream bitterly postponed

Costin Stucan

20th January 2018 | 2:26 AM

We look at the cruel managerial career of Dan Petrescu, harboring many hopes of working with the best, only to have all pegged back by fate and bureaucracy.

Dan Petrescu’s managerial limbo - The story of a dream bitterly postponed

Do you remember Dan Petrescu, the blonde attacking right back that scared the Premier League defenders of the 90s to death with his sweet, short dribbling and a boyish smile on his face? If you are too young, you can check the YouTube footage. A decade before Roman Abramovich  landed in London, “Dan The Man” – as he was known to the Blues fans – was always happy to score a goal or two for himself in a Chelsea cult team assembled mostly from continental luxury imports like Gullit, Vialli or Zola.

Two decades later, Petrescu – now a 50-year-old grumpy coach with little liking of the media – is leading the pack in the Romanian first league (Liga 1) with his team CFR Cluj, but it’s only mid-season. In more than a decade, his managerial career has had its ups and downs with short spells in China and the Middle East. Petrescu also tasted the Russian league with mixed results, leaving Dinamo Moscow fans bemused by his almost psychotic touchline antics.

The defender who won the FA Cup and Cup Winners Cup with Chelsea is still invited to Stamford Bridge and could be seen doing a lap of honour to a standing ovation from time to time. But he now hates this attention. “In the beginning I felt good but now it hurts me. I miss my Chelsea time so much and then I rather avoid to attend their games. I went there three times but I can’t do it no more. I feel awkward. The main actors are the current players. My time has passed but I still feel proud the people recognise me on the streets in London,” he told Romanian media on his 50th birthday on December 21st.

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