He is among one of the first players to score for Wolves in the Premier League.
But the name won’t instantly come to mind for many supporters.
Signed in December 2003 - Ionel Ganea was a Romanian international who had featured in his home country and Germany.
It was hoped he may just score the goals to keep Wolves up - but he didn’t.
He would net three times in the Premier League and remain at Wolves for another two seasons.
In total, he scored seven goals in 32 games but his time in the second tier with Wolves was largely interrupted by injuries.
He went back to his native Romania and finished his career there, going on to become a coach, manager and later a technical director.
For many Wolves fans, they may struggle to remember him. For some, he was known for his antics off the field rather than those on it.
Here is a look back on his career, time at Wolves, as well as controversies which saw him threatened to hit a priest, as well as a big tragedy that occurred last year.
placeholder image
AFP via Getty Images
He came through the youth ranks in Romania before a big money move to Stuttgart came in 1999.
He starred for Romania in Euro 2000 and went onto have a decent scoring record in Germany.
A move to Turkey followed but after he cancelled his contract - he signed for Wolves in December 2003 following Premier League promotion.
From there he went on to finish his playing days in his homeland before starting a coaching career, and he last served as a technical director for a third division side.
Throughout his career he was never too far away from controversy.
While at FC Brasov prior to his Wolves days he beat up the club captain - while other incidents have included him kicking a team mate in the mouth - and throwing a table at another.
Fights continued in Germany and he also had a run in with manager and former Fulham boss Felix Magath.
He was eating an ice cream, which the manager was unhappy with so he proceeded to throw it at the coach.
He was also involved in an altercation with Sol Campbell at Euro 2000, while another story is that he punched a team-mate over a cheating issue during a card game.
In 2004 in a clash with Scotland he left Celtic defender John Kennedy injured, an issue which left him unable to play for three years, forcing to him eventually retire.
He also featured in Steven Gerrard’s autobiography, with the Liverpool legend describing how a tackle in the Premier League game left him with a tear from his knee to his ankle.
After discovering what Gerrard had written in his book, the former Wolves striker told the press: “I inform Gerrard that when I write my autobiography, I will not mention him. I will not have room for little girls".
Ganea playing for Dinamo Bucharest against Tottenhamplaceholder image
Ganea playing for Dinamo Bucharest against Tottenham | Getty Images
Controversy also found him at Wolves. In 2006 he claimed that the then manager Glenn Hoddle was ‘the most difficult manager’ he had worked for.
Hoddle also fined him a week’s wages for fighting with a team mate during a training session.
On his return to Romania, the incidents continued including head butting an opponent, grabbing a president around the neck, before he was banned for 22 games, reduced to 16, for attacking an assistant referee.
Another bizarre story came while attending the funeral of a former player, Ioan Dragan - with reports claiming he almost got into a fight with a priest, because he was not satisfised with the preaching.
There were also incidents during his coaching days - most notably when he got into an argument with a female journalist, with the reporter threatening the ex-Wolves man.
She reportedly told the manager - "You might not return to Bucharest alive! I promise you that!"
Last year, it was reported in the Romanian press that the former Wolves striker was involved in a car crash, with his two year old son also in the car.
A month after the incident occurred - his son tragically died.
Continue Reading