The tackle which ruined a career . . . and it wasn't Kennedy's

The Romanian has never admitted to any guilt or malice over his hideous challenge on Kennedy in the friendly international with Scotland at Hampden on March 31, 2004. Yet, in some ways, the events of that evening in Glasgow have haunted him ever since.

Ganea does not like to be reminded about Kennedy. A Romanian journalist was initially met by resistance when he made contact to gain reaction over the 23-year-old's long-awaited return to top-level involvement.

"I'm glad to hear he is back in Celtic's first-team squad. I wish him all the best." Ganea eventually said. "But those kind of accidents can happen on the pitch."

Kennedy's progress towards fitness has made intermittent news in Bucharest, with one national newspaper running a lengthy article around the third anniversary of his injury. Yet it is far from the only controversy with which Ganea has been associated. His temperament, as Kennedy fully discovered over the course of four operations, is dangerously brittle.

Ganea's international career now appears over thanks to that deep flaw within his make-up. He was outraged not be part of the match-day squad for Romania's 2-2 draw with Bulgaria last year after being called up for the Euro 2008 qualifier by Victor Piturca.

A very public attack was then launched on the national coach, part of which accused Piturca of "acting like a woman", and Ganea is unlikely to be welcomed back.

Glenn Hoddle was another manager against whom Ganea bore a grudge. The striker was a Wolverhampton Wanderers player at the time he wrecked Kennedy's knee, but became disillusioned by a lack of first-team chances at Molineux. Hoddle, Ganea declared, was the, "most difficult coach I have ever worked with." After just 17 league starts in two-and-a-half years, he was cut loose by the Midlands club last summer.

A return to Romania with Dinamo Bucharest was negotiated and Ganea initially responded with 14 goals in 18 games. His success on the field was, though, counterbalanced by conflict.

Ganea scored all four goals in a defeat of Universitatea Craiova last autumn, yet the headlines after the match were dominated by accusations of violence. Michael Baird, an Australian striker playing for Craiova, claimed he had been headbutted by Ganea as they made their way up the tunnel at the end of the game.

There were rumours of fist-raising disputes within his own dressing room, while Ganea also went to the media about his disaffection with the Dinamo hierarchy. He accused Cristi Borcea, the sporting director, of trying to undermine his involvement by making plans to sign Marius Niculae, the Romanian internationalist formerly with Sporting Lisbon and Standard Liege. "Hypocrite," was one of the insults hurled in Borcea's direction.

In January, he reached agreement with the Dinamo board to terminate his contract after six turbulent months and move to their city rivals Rapid. Ganea was apparently offered a record deal worth up to £600,000 per year through bonuses. It was also claimed that the Rapid owner, George Copos, had promised him a seat on the board after his retirement from playing.

Despite those possible riches, Ganea seems to have passed up his last chance for glory at 33 years of age. Dinamo are almost certain to win the Romanian league, thanks in part to Ganea's goals, and will qualify directly for the group phase of the Champions League if either Manchester United or Chelsea win this season's competition.

In contrast, Rapid are slumped in fourth place, six points short of claiming the second Champions League slot. Ganea has scored just once since his controversial move and missed the humiliating 4-1 derby defeat from Dinamo on Sunday with a groin strain.

That, of course, is the most minor of ailments compared with the incredibly tortuous process of rehabilitation that Kennedy endured before his re-emergence at Rugby Park on Sunday. Perhaps the ties can now be cut. What happens next to Ganea will not enter Kennedy's mind as he ponders a brighter future.