Romanian footballer and manager
Cristian Dumitru Pustai (born 12 October 1967) is a Romanian football manager and former footballer who played as a striker, currently in charge of Liga III club Gloria Bistrița.
Club career
Cristian Pustai played as a striker for Gaz Metan Mediaş, Unirea Alba Iulia and Chimica Târnăveni.[1] He is credited for scoring 170 goals for these teams.[2]
Coaching career
Chimica Târnăveni
He began his coaching career at Chimica Târnăveni, towards the end of the 1999–2000 edition of Division B, when he led the team as a playing-coach. He quit his job there after the team was relegated from the Liga III.[3] Afterwards he became a math teacher.
In 2003, he became a part of Gaz Metan Mediaş's staff, coaching the youth teams.[4]
In 2007 Pustai was appointed head coach of then Liga II club Gaz Metan Mediaş. He managed to win the 2007–08 Liga II in the first season with the team, gaining promotion to the Liga I.[5] In the first division, the team under his guidance had a constant progress.[6]
In the 2011–12 season Gaz Metan Mediaş played in the UEFA Europa League under his command. They managed to knock out Mainz 05, but were subsequently knocked out by Austria Wien.[7]
Pandurii Târgu Jiu
In January 2013, Pustai took over Pandurii Târgu Jiu.[8] At the end of 2012–13 season, Pandurii finished as Liga I runner-up for the first time in the history, becoming the vice-champion of Romania, and qualified for the first time in Europa League.[9] Starting its European adventure from the second qualifying round, Pandurii qualified in the group stage after surprisingly eliminating Sporting Braga with 2–0, after the pandurs were defeated with 0–1. In the group stage, Pandurii failed to win any match, drawing twice with Paços de Ferreira and losing against Fiorentina and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. In the championship, Pandurii failed to maintain its position between the first squads, and after a poor series of results which led the team to fall to the sixth place, Pustai resigned from his duties on 23 April 2014.
ASA Târgu Mureș
On 30 September 2014, he signed a contract with ASA Târgu Mureș.[10] He was sacked on 29 December 2014.[11]
Rapid București
On 8 January 2015, he was announced as the new head coach of Rapid București. His objective was to save the team from its precarious position, the 18th in Liga I. He was however sacked on 14 April 2015 due to poor results. He was replaced by Cristiano Bergodi.[12]
On 16 July 2024, agent Bogdan Apostu announced that Cristian Pustai will become the new coach of CS Gloria Bistrița-Năsăud.[13]
Managerial statistics
- As of 21 September 2024
| Team
|
From
|
To
|
Record
|
| G |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
Win %
|
 Gaz Metan Mediaş
|
9 March 2007
|
18 January 2013
|
223
|
91
|
55
|
77
|
296
|
218
|
040.81
|
| Pandurii Târgu Jiu
|
20 January 2013
|
23 April 2014
|
58
|
26
|
11
|
21
|
94
|
67
|
044.83
|
| ASA Târgu Mureș
|
30 September 2014
|
17 December 2014
|
11
|
6
|
3
|
2
|
16
|
5
|
054.55
|
| Rapid București
|
8 January 2015
|
14 April 2015
|
9
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
8
|
033.33
|
| Botoșani
|
2 October 2015
|
1 April 2016
|
19
|
6
|
4
|
9
|
26
|
28
|
031.58
|
| Gaz Metan Mediaş
|
6 April 2016
|
30 June 2018
|
98
|
32
|
32
|
34
|
116
|
112
|
032.65
|
| Dunărea Călărași
|
23 June 2019
|
15 June 2021
|
59
|
23
|
15
|
21
|
72
|
83
|
038.98
|
| FC Buzău
|
1 July 2021
|
4 October 2022
|
40
|
23
|
6
|
11
|
90
|
40
|
057.50
|
| Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț
|
8 November 2022
|
18 May 2024
|
48
|
22
|
13
|
13
|
81
|
58
|
045.83
|
| Gloria Bistrița
|
22 July 2024
|
present
|
6
|
4
|
0
|
2
|
14
|
9
|
066.67
|
| Total
|
571
|
236
|
141
|
194
|
811
|
628
|
041.33
|
Honours
Player
Gaz Metan Mediaș
Coach
Gaz Metan Mediaș
References
Cristian Pustai managerial positions |
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