CS Sănătatea Servicii Publice Cluj
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| Full name | Club Sportiv Sănătatea Servicii Publice Cluj | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Virușii Verzi (The Green Viruses) | ||
| Short name | SSP Cluj | ||
| Founded | 1986 | ||
| Ground | Clujana | ||
| Capacity | 2,000 | ||
| Owner | Aurelian Ghișa | ||
| Manager | Vasile Miriuță | ||
| Head coach | Marius Semeniuc | ||
| League | Liga III | ||
| 2023–24 | Liga III, Seria X, 9th | ||
| Website | http://www.cssanatatea.ro/ | ||
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Club Sportiv Sănătatea Servicii Publice Cluj, commonly known as Sănătatea Cluj, or simply Sănătatea, is a Romanian professional football club based in Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County. The club currently competes in Liga III, the third tier of Romanian football.
The club's greatest performances were achieved in the Cupa României, where it managed to reach the Round of 16 in the 2007–08 and 2019–20 seasons, the Round of 32 in the 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, and 2017–18 seasons, and the Group Stage in the 2023–24 season.[1]
History
Sănătatea Cluj was founded in 1986, at the initiative of individuals devoted to football within the Cluj County Health Directorate, with Vasile Moldovan as the organizer and coach, and Dr. Dumitru Predescu as the president of the football section. Among the first players of the team were David Borza, Eugen Perde, Sergiu Dascăl, Ioan Abrudan, Dănuț Radu, Ilisie Dascăl, as well as the youth players Cristian Fărcășan, Sándor Balint, and others.
The club competed in the Cluj County Championships for nearly twenty years before earning promotion to Divizia C at the end of the 2004–05 season, after winning Divizia D – Cluj County. In the third division, The Green Viruses secured 3rd place in Series VIII during the 2005–06 season, followed by a 10th-place finish in Series V the next year.
In the 2007–08 season, Sănătatea narrowly avoided relegation, finishing 14th in Series VI but also achieved one of the greatest performances in club history by reaching the Round of 16 in Cupa României. The cup run began with victories over Someșul Ileanda (4–1), Minerul Iara (2–1), and Victoria Carei (2–1). The fourth round brought a stunning 1–0 victory over Gaz Metan Mediaș, followed by wins against Unirea Alba Iulia (3–2) and top-flight side UTA Arad (1–0).[2] It ended in the Round of 16 with a 0–4 defeat against reigning champions Dinamo București at the Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Stadium in Gruia. The squad, led by Ovidiu Rațiu, included Sabin Pîglișan, Gavrilă Molnar, Rareș Hoca, Alin Cazan, Alin Albu, Radu Zah, Csaba Kiss, Călin Timicer, Simon, Horică Gabor, I. Rusu, Aurelian Ghișa, C. Nicula, Alexandru Gașpar.[1][3]
Sănătatea continued to compete in Series VI of Liga III, finishing 9th in the 2008–09 season under player-coach Radu Sabo. In the following season, the "Green Viruses" reached the Round of 32 in Cupa României after eliminating higher-ranked teams such as Universitatea Cluj and FCM Târgu Mureș, both with 1–0 victories. The campaign ended in September with a heavy 0–7 defeat against Politehnica Timișoara.[1][4] Sabo left in October 2009[5] and was replaced by Marius Semeniuc,[6] who led the team to an 11th-place finish.
After another short stint under Sabo in the fall of 2010, the team was coached by Marius Semeniuc in the following seasons, finishing 8th in the 2010–11 season and advancing once again to the Round of 32 in Cupa României after eliminating Unirea Florești (3–1), Someșul Oar (2–1), FC Bihor (1–0), and Arieșul Turda (5–1), before losing to FCSB (0–4). The squad for that match consisted of S. Pâglișan, C. Miclăuș, C. Sărmășan, S. Sos, C. Kiss, A. Albu, A. Simioancă, A. Gașpar ('81 A. Ghișa), S. Crișan, R. Rus ('69 R. Hoca), and I. Ganea ('46 C. Nicula). The team finished 11th in the 2011–12 Liga III season.
In the 2012–13 season, Sănătatea Cluj finished 9th in Series V, spared from relegation due to the withdrawal of several teams. In the following campaign, the Green-Viruses finished 8th in the regular season of Series V and ranked 9th after the series play-out. Sănătatea also reached the Round of 16 in the 2013–14 Cupa României, where it lost 0–4 to Dinamo București. The lineup used by Marius Semeniuc in that match was composed of A. Todoran – D. Bucur, P. Șimon, L. Perde, C. Sărmașan – C. Nicula, A. Albu, S. Sos, C. Kiss, L. Văidean – A. Gașpar. Reserves included Vl. Pop – S. Vădana, A. Ghișa, A. Ceaca, A. Boska, Al. Pop, T. Tothazan.[7]
Honours
- Winners (1): 2004–05
Players
First-team squad
- As of 10 September 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club officials
Board of directors
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Current technical staff
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Notable former players
The footballers mentioned below have played at least 1 season for Sănătatea and also played in Liga I for another team.
Former managers
Radu Sabo (2008–2009)- Marius Semeniuc (2009–2010)
- Radu Sabo (2010)
- George Florescu (2021–2023)
- Francisc Dican (2023–2024)
League history
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References
- ^ a b c "Sănătatea Cluj. Din anonimatul fotbalului mic, în lumina reflectoarelor Cupei României. Cele mai importante rezultate ale „virușilor verzi" în competiția surprizelor" [Sănătatea Cluj. From the anonymity of small-sided football, into the spotlight of the Romanian Cup. The most important results of the "green viruses" in the competition of surprises] (in Romanian). sportulclujean.ro. 26 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2 February 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ "Sănătatea înainte de toate" [Sănătatea before all] (in Romanian). hotnews.ro. 27 September 2007. Archived from the original on 2 February 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ "Dinamo a ucis "virușii"" [Dinamo killed the "viruses"] (in Romanian). evz.ro. 6 December 2007. Archived from the original on 2 February 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ "Timișoara - Sănătatea Cluj 7-0 / Bănățenii au marcat într-un meci cât în tot sezonul" [Timișoara - Sanătatea Cluj 7-0 / Bănățenii scored in one match as in the entire season] (in Romanian). adevarul.ro. 23 September 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ "Revine Radu Sabo în tricoul lui "U" Cluj?" [Will Radu Sabo return in the shirt of "U" Cluj?] (in Romanian). adevarul.ro. 18 October 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ "Marius Semeniuc, antrenor la Sănătatea Cluj" [Marius Semeniuc, coach at Sanatatea Cluj] (in Romanian). romanialibera.ro. 9 October 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ "Zougoula, sănătate și virtute! Dinamo – Sănătatea 4-0, „câinii" merg în optimi" [Zougoula, health and virtue! Dinamo – Sănătatea 4-0, the "dogs" go to the round of 16] (in Romanian). prosport.ro. 24 September 2013. Archived from the original on 10 May 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2025.