Suggested Call Ups/Starting 11

[Dean97]

Well Pelkas has fallen somewhat out of favor at PAOK. In the recent loss to OSFP, he didn't start. And Fortounis too came on from the bench. Both players have strained relations with management.

Bakasetas surprised me, but he only won his place after Anastasiadis' favorite Kolovos performed dismally and after Vrousaj had been injured (although he performed just as badly). He could very well keep his place for the foreseeable future, but Vrousaj seems to be the player van't Schip wants because I think he believes both he and Pavlidis would make for the best combination up front.

Time will tell, for all we know Fountas could replace Pavlidis or Fortounis really turns it on again and Greece plays a strikerless system, like Anastasiadis did against Italy.

I would really like to see Pelkas play abroad. To me he has the right tools needed for a perfect CAM and can potentially make the team he plays for play attractive and positive football. He has the energy and speed needed with technical abilities. He works, likes to press and can puts himself in decent positions to score. The problem with him I believe is consistency and lacks the proper guidance. if he was to go to a Portugal or Spain where they know what to do with him and give the proper instructions I believe he can excel for both club and country.

Fountas deserves to be given a chance for Greece. He is very versatile and at the moment is on fire. Stuttgart apparently want to sign him. Hopefully he goes to the bundesliga and excels there.

I really don’t mind Vrousai, if you see him play for Willem he does very well and looks like he has great potential to be even better. I can see why JVS would use him as he pays with Pavlidis week in and week out and know each other very well. I don’t know if he should be played at CAM or on the wing for Greece. I’d like to see Chatzigiovanis be given a shot at some stage.

By September hopefully we get players like Stergiou (CB) and Kiomourtzoglou (CDM) playing for us as they could very well be future stars.

[Dean97]

I would really like to see Pelkas play abroad. To me he has the right tools needed for a perfect CAM and can potentially make the team he plays for play attractive and positive football. He has the energy and speed needed with technical abilities. He works, likes to press and can puts himself in decent positions to score. The problem with him I believe is consistency and lacks the proper guidance. if he was to go to a Portugal or Spain where they know what to do with him and give the proper instructions I believe he can excel for both club and country.

Fountas deserves to be given a chance for Greece. He is very versatile and at the moment is on fire. Stuttgart apparently want to sign him. Hopefully he goes to the bundesliga and excels there.

I really don’t mind Vrousai, if you see him play for Willem he does very well and looks like he has great potential to be even better. I can see why JVS would use him as he pays with Pavlidis week in and week out and know each other very well. I don’t know if he should be played at CAM or on the wing for Greece. I’d like to see Chatzigiovanis be given a shot at some stage.

By September hopefully we get players like Stergiou (CB) and Kiomourtzoglou (CDM) playing for us as they could very well be future stars.

Other players who I hope are being looked who I believe can make Greece even better are:

Androutsos
Lamprou
Giannis Masouras

[Don Giovanni]

Pelkas is reminiscent to a lot of the CAMs/wingers we have produced in the past. He's certainly in the mold of a Karagounis or Stelios. I think had PAOK made the UCL and if he had some impact at that level, he'd be playing abroad. Because PAOK couldn't clear the qualification hurdle and the lack of quality within their ranks to even compete at that level had they made it, but he has potential. I hope he's studying Pau Gomez at Atalanta. That's exactly who he should model himself.

Fountas should get chances, but I think Pavlidis is the player van't Schip seems as his ideal striker. Maybe we go two strikers due to our lack of goals. We need to score goals to justify this style of play. We have to win games with two or three goals, if not more, if we are going to get back to winning ways.

Vrousaj has a lot to prove still, but I think van't Schip seems him as his ideal dekari. It's pretty obvious van't Schip rates Pavlidis, Vrousaj, and Hatzdiakos very highly.

[Dean97]

Both Papu Gomez and Pelkas are very similar. I can see Pelkas excelling in a league like the serie A or Liga Nos... I place Fetfatzidis as the most dominant and superior technically for a Greek player I then put Mantalos and Pelkas just under him in terms of technical abilities. I’m a big fan of the short diminutive low centre of gravity type of CAMs as there dribbling and technical abilities are of high quality. Also they are very quick off the mark and make the team play at a high tempo. That’s why I think Pelkas should boy our future number 10 for Greece. If not him than Mantalos should be it.

You are spot on Don with your 1st paragraph in regards with PAOK not making champions league. Had they have made and also if Pelkas was to be a crucial player then Pelkas would be playing in Italy or a Spain.

I definitely agree we have to score more goals to justify our style of play. I do believe we need a quick number 10 to combine well with our other attackers. Bakasetas isn’t capable of playing those quick 1-2 passes because of how slow he is. He is too predictable because of this. If Pelkas or Mantalos are play as the 10 we have more dynamism where anything can happen for us. By playing either are one of these guys (Pelkas, Fetfatzidis or Mantalos) we instantly lift the tempo and our attacks become much more dangerous.

If we were to play someone of lower tempo but has the great technical abilities I’d put Fortounis in. But everyone else would have to work much harder when we press.

[Amorgos]

Bakasetas isn’t capable of playing those quick 1-2 passes because of how slow he is. He is too predictable because of this. If Pelkas or Mantalos are play as the 10 we have more dynamism where anything can happen for us. By playing either are one of these guys (Pelkas, Fetfatzidis or Mantalos) we instantly lift the tempo and our attacks become much more dangerous.

You say this about Bakasetas but he has done the very thing your saying he cant do because he is too slow??? And it helped create 20 odd shots at goal in our last 4 games.

Pelkas on the other hand, who you're saying will lift the tempo has failed to do this... Anything is possible in the future but I just don't like reading things that say a player can't do this and that when they have proven to do just that.

Don't take away from Bakasetas what he did in helping make this team transform, and I myself was not a fan of him at all in the Ethniki, but under JVS, and being playing in his preferred position he has done well and deserved the credit.

[Don Giovanni]

Bakasetas has been doing better now. He reminds me a bit of Salpingidis in the sense that he has a great feel for the game, he knows when to seize his moment. I believe the difference is his partnership with Mantalos, the confidence and trust he feels under van't Schip, and with his form in Turkey.

[Dean97]

You say this about Bakasetas but he has done the very thing your saying he cant do because he is too slow??? And it helped create 20 odd shots at goal in our last 4 games.

Pelkas on the other hand, who you're saying will lift the tempo has failed to do this... Anything is possible in the future but I just don't like reading things that say a player can't do this and that when they have proven to do just that.

Don't take away from Bakasetas what he did in helping make this team transform, and I myself was not a fan of him at all in the Ethniki, but under JVS, and being playing in his preferred position he has done well and deserved the credit.

I meant to say that he isn’t as swift as our other CAMs. By being more swift it gives you more a chance to create opportunities and even score. With Pelkas as the example. I just think we shouldn’t build around him in the long term. Especially when we have Mantalos, Pelkas and Fortounis.

Pelkas has only played once or twice as the CAM for Greece. The game he played against Egypt in a friendly which I remember he made the team look faster with him there, back when our team were in complete shambles. Imagine now with JVS what Pelkas can do... or even Mantalos who is another that’s only played once or twice in that role. Also Pelkas does have to do better with Greece as he has struggled, but I still rate him way above Bakasetas...

Bakasetas is only getting the opportunities now because he is having a decent season in Turkey. The players I mentioned before have had 3-4 decent seasons in a row. He does deserve credit lately as the team have been performing well and winning. But I don’t see him being a long term option at number 10. I just don’t think it will help the team in the long run especially when we go up against
better opponents. The Italy game is an example.

[Amorgos]

But he created our chances vs Italy... the chances we created were via Bakasetas. You keep mentioning Pelkas, have you not seen the speed the team has played even with Baka? What did Pelkas do when he came on besides look clumsy and stuff up multiple times with Fortounis.

Baka is having a decent season in Turkey, is Pelkas having a decent season in Greece? Besides the last season with AEK, where he was played on the wing, he did well in Greece too. He helped the Ethniki too fold. and against Italy so sorry but your comments make no sense to me Dean.

Where I agree with you, is Mantalos, I would love to see Mantalos have a shot, I think he can combine very well with Baka and Limnios but Baka must play centrally.

[Dean97]

I just prefer to have someone who is faster in that position. I also see something in Pelkas as I rate him highly. He just needs consistency and to be constantly motivated. Bakasetas is having his best season this season. He’s earned his call up and the team has done better with him in his natural position, but I stand by with what I said and all I’m saying is we have better and more skillful players than him. That’s my opinion.

Also I have no idea why Bakasetas was ever put on the wing... Not the best idea. At least Mantalos has some pace and skill about him to play there, even though his best position is his natural position at CAM. Amorgo do you know why Bakasetas was put on the wing?

Also does anyone else know why Mantalos plays on the wing for AEK and Greece?

[Amorgos]

I think in both bases, they wanted to accommodate Mantalos and Baka in the line ups but he is way too slow for wing play and as such it didn't work out, he didn't play on the wing so much the season before that and he did well, he goes to Turkey, plays as a CAM and now his worth has gone from 500-700k to 3-5 million.

Mantalos is simply too skilled to keep out for both is my belief, at AEK he has been played centrally lately and doing well but was played on the left for ages prior to the playoffs, with Livaja in the center, should be noted he is played on the left for both despite being right footed (although he can use his left also).

With Fortounis playing centrally and then Bakasetas, like at AEK, you want the skill of Mantalos out there as such they play him there and he can play it and until we get a good left sided winger it may continue that way.

[Dean97]

I agree Mantalos is too skilled to be left out. He’s a quality player. Same can be said about Fetfatzidis. Fetfatzidis is just as good if not better than both Limnios and Mantalos. I question why he hasn’t been given more chances. He’s sort of revived his career at Aris. I think he is more of an impact sub like Donis. Chatzigiovannis and Masouras are decent wingers aswell. We’ve also got Lamprou coming through. So there are options...

[Don Giovanni]

For all we know, Fountas and Pavlidis may have to be accommodated in a way that forces Mantalos on the bench... Time will tell, but right now Mantalos has the set the bar to where it needs to be. For others to play, they need to match his will and commitment.

And to add some more perspective here, before the Euro 2004 finals, Stelios was a more important player than Karagounis. Stelios won the game against Spain in Zaragoza, but that didn't stop Rehhagel from playing Karagounis instead for the opener against Portugal, one of Rehhagel's many master strokes at those finals. And bear in mind, when Greece played Portugal in a pre-Euro 2004 friendly, Karagounis decided to act like a goalkeeper and got himself sent off in the first half. He was prone to some reckless behavior. So it was a bold choice and there was perhaps an argument to be made that Tsartas should have started instead too.

[Jsoul]

Let’s not forget the only reason Fortounis is not on the team is because he got injured and the minute he returns to form Bakasetas will be bench player. Fortounis’s vision and skill is needed if this team wants to capitalize on its chances.. Bakasetas has done well in the middle in the last 4 games with the NT but he’s not on the same level skill and vision wise as Fortounis..

As far as Mantolas goes who do you sit? Liminos, Masouras look more dangerous on the wing then Mantoals ever has, Masouras only problem is he can’t finish and has blown chances but over all I can’t see Mantolas ahead of, Pavlidis, Masouras, Liminos, Donis..

[Don Giovanni]

I don't think anyone has convinced enough. Even someone like Manolas who should really be an undisputed starter might not even figure in van't Schip's plans if the two can't see eye-to-eye.

Fortounis is making cameos from the bench these days for OSFP. How can he start for Greece?

Without guys playing in top leagues or guys on the bench competing for a place at a top club, I don't think Greece will have what it takes to compete on the biggest stages. We need players at the highest levels to be serious competitors.

It's hard to predict how good some of the guys coming through will become. I think Pavlidis, Fountas, Donis, Limnios, Tsimikas, Retsos, Mavropanos, and Hatzidiakos have something to offer, but we can't set any expectations on the them yet--it's too early still. There are some other names I haven't mentioned who are making their way up who look like good options.

[Dean97]

Well Fountas is having his best season ever. He can’t stop scoring and we know what Greece’s problem is and that’s scoring. Now with JVS as coach we have been playing better football without our so called stars. Who do you replace now in the starting line up? JVS really likes Pavlidis, and he is a decent striker. If we play Fountas on the wing than Mantalos would have to be benched, or you would play Mantalos as the CAM. Limnios deserves to start again. He is the only one that is capable of running at defenders and taking them on with skill and speed. But yet again so can Donis and Fetfatzidis but I think it’s best that they come off the bench as super subs.

Fortounis has to start more if he wants to play. He is coming back slowly. You can tell Manolas and Sokratis have attitude problems because they start week in and week out for their clubs and JVS keeps on saying that they need to have passion and they are going to have to want to come back. If you look at our recent line ups all of our players start for their clubs and are doing well. What puzzled me was that Stafylidis wasn’t starting or playing much at the time I think. I think he was coming off the bench for his club. But he was the player with less amount of minutes and was named captain. That seems a bit odd.

I just think we have to include Fountas in our starting line up. Maybe we play 2 up top...