Ionel Ganea: former Wolves striker’s controversies and tragedy | OneFootball

Ionel Ganea was among the first Wolves Premier League scorers, yet many supporters barely recall him. Signed in December 2003, he struck three league goals and stayed for two more seasons.

He finished with seven in 32, his second-tier spell heavily disrupted by injuries. As reported by ExpressAndStar.com, he is remembered as much for off-field turmoil as for his performances.

The Romanian broke through at home before a 1999 move to Stuttgart. A switch to Türkiye followed, his contract was cancelled, then he joined Wolves. He later returned home and moved into coaching and a third-division technical director role.

At FC Brasov he beat up the captain, and in Germany he clashed with Felix Magath after hurling an ice cream.

In 2004 against Scotland, his challenge left John Kennedy sidelined for three years, and Kennedy eventually retired. Steven Gerrard wrote that a Ganea tackle caused a severe tear from knee to ankle, which Ganea later dismissed.

In 2006 he called Glenn Hoddle the most difficult manager he had worked for, and was fined a week’s wages for a training fight. Back in Romania he headbutted an opponent and was banned for 22 games, later cut to 16, for attacking an assistant referee.

He was also said to have nearly fought a priest at Ioan Dragan’s funeral after complaining about the preaching.

Last year he was reportedly involved in a car crash with his two-year-old son in the car. The child died a month later.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com