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Daniel Niculae defends George Copos against claims of stinginess
Former Rapid striker Daniel Niculae has described ex-owner George Copos as financially prudent rather than stingy, citing his detailed oversight of club spending.
1 min read
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Photograph accompanying the original ProSport report.
Photo: ProSport · Daniel Niculae: „Copos e uns cu toate alifiile. Nu e zgârcit, doar ponderat” · Cropped for display
Daniel Niculae has defended former Rapid owner George Copos against accusations of being stingy. The former striker stated that Copos was prudent rather than miserly, knowing when to spend money despite public perception to the contrary.
Niculae explained that Copos required leaders to know details and the direction of every penny spent. He described this approach as normal for a club owner managing finances.
George Copos served as Rapid's financier for nearly two decades from 1992 to 2013. This period oversaw significant success for the club on the domestic and European stages.
Under Copos, Rapid won two league titles, four Cups, and four Super Cups. The team also reached the Europa League quarter-finals in the 2005-2006 season.
Copos was perceived as stingy after missing transfers like Aleksandar Kolarov due to a refused 400,000 euro fee. He also failed to sign Cristi Chivu due to a 50,000 euro difference in negotiations.
Daniel Niculae was sold by George Copos from Rapid to AJ Auxerre in July 2006. The transfer fee for the move was 3.3 million euros.
In 2007, George Copos had an estimated fortune of 700 million euros. This wealth was derived from hotels, a motor factory, and a confectionery chain.
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