Official Squads

[Amorgos]

Very happy to see Koutris called up, I think he and Tsimikas are our two best, the latter has really stepped up this season. Shame he’s injured.

[ThrylosG7]

Ok my rant on the team - We have to accept that there is currently no golden generation and it may be another 5-10 years before we see anything close to what we saw 2004-2014 . What we did see came about because of the mentality of the players and Otto only selecting players who were willing to play for the shirt and not their ego's. Players who played and died for each other on the pitch. Once asked by a journalist what he did to make this team capable of winning the Euro - he responded " This team used to be like this "- and he opened his hand spreading his fingers , indicating we were a team of individuals . He then said " All i did was turn them into a fist" closing his fingers. " Like this you can beat anyone"

Effectively we need to go back to being better than the sum of our parts. How do we do that? By having a unified locker room , with players buying into the coaches vision, and giving everything on the pitch. We always had talent in Greece but as we know a number of factors stopped us from reaching our potential. Once the 2004 generation started playing abroad and becoming more professional and took their careers more seriously we saw a difference. Now though we have a double whammy of not producing players like the 80's and 90's - nor do we have players who are good enough to play abroad at a decent level . On top of that the eternal talent curse is as strong as ever. Promising players plateau once they get a decent contract with one of the big teams because they would rather earn 80k or 100k in Greece and live comfortably rather than bust their ass abroad. The ones that have gone abroad seem to be found out and dont appear to be as good as expected or they didnt try hard enough we dont know.

IMHO Sokratis Manolas and a few others seem to have the Georgatos mentality so dropping them may give them a reality check , if not then although they will be huge losses their negativity has a far worse effect when they are there than what we lose by not having them. We need these players to be positive leaders that unite the team not be a lightning rod for disgruntled players and forming cliques in the dressing room.

Regarding JVS he has come in and seen the issues immediately , its not rocket science but you have to be a strong character to manage the Greek NT and not let yourself be pushed around. He needs and deserves to be given time because he hasnt come in and just done what everyone else has done. He is attempting to force a genuine change not just in mentality but approach as well. He also has shown that he is serious about the effort to shake things up and not paying lip service.

Now on players , its clear that some players should be nowhere near the squad - Torosidis being first and foremost, then theres all these other fringe players who got call ups out of nowhere like Kolovetsios , Valerianos , Kolovos . Im also not sold on Bakakis , Bakasetas , Kourbelis and our Keepers apart from Vlachodimos - Its not bias but Im not sure how PAO players get in the team when they are so bad. Bouchalakis needs to show more but he is a talented player - as for Samaris the guy frustrates me as he is decent for Benfica - yet I only remember 1 game where he stood out and I thought he was excellent. Then we come to Mitroglou a player that I personally never rated ..yes he scored for other teams in Greece as well..but IMHO has made a career from one hattrick in the CL against Anderlecht. I dont rate what he did in Greece so much because he played in a team that dominated domestically massively which makes it easy for you to look good. The other teams he played for basically played for him to score. i remember watching games and highlights where he would sore 1 goal and miss 10 chances..Then we come to the poster boy of eternal talents Fetfatzidis . I dont want him anywhere near the starting 11 until the team improves enough to be able to carry him against weaker teams. otherwise for me he is a player yu bring on after 60 or 70 min if you need a goal or you need to try something different - the skills of Messi with the footballing brain of a brick. If he was 50% better mentally and tactically this guy could have been our outstanding player - who knows though maybe we just didnt know how to use him - looking at his career im not sure thats the case. Im curious to see how Fortunis comes back he may not be world class but he can hit a free kick and he is the best passer in the team by far .

Finally some positives - outside of the approach of JVS there are some players who show that there is some bright sparks to look forward to if they continue to improve as they have so far. In particular I am going to expect more from Donis , Masouras , Tsimikas also the young guys from France and Holland whoplay in decent leagues away from the bullshit in Greece - there are no excuses for not reaching potential. If we want to build for the WC the players who are 20-25 now will form the core of the squad .

[Reaper]

Kourbelis at the centre of PAO's decline. Another loss, this time to Atromitos.

[Kojak]

Kourbelis at the centre of PAO's decline. Another loss, this time to Atromitos.

As much as i believe he is overrated, "centre of PAOs decline" is a bit harsh considering everything else contributing to their decline.

[Dean97]

As much as i believe he is overrated, "centre of PAOs decline" is a bit harsh considering everything else contributing to their decline.

I know we shouldn’t pinpoint Panathinaikos problems on just one player but how does Panathinaikos benefit with Kourbelis in the team?

[Ethnikos]

Kourbelis is nothing special. Pao fan myself. However in this period of time he’s useful in the squad. Good enough for Panathinaikos right now, decent enough for Greece. I would much rather see Vasilidis, Galanopoulos, Kiomourtzoglou, Zeca, or even Siopis. What I don’t understand is seeing him at CB. Defence in particular is our strongpoint. If he plays for Greece should be cdm or nothing else

[Reaper]

Kapino - terrible mistake prone keeper with a broken career since leaving Greece called up. He has played just 10 games for his clubs in 3 years.. JVS rewarding him for...Wonder how much this cap cost him - all to drum up interest for a potential summer transfer.. pathetic on every level.

K.Paps also called up fresh from the Croat league.. I don't mind him so much. 13 games this season and a positive force.

Manolas left out, seems he didn't want to return with JVS there.. and Douvikas left out because..


https://www.sportime.gr/podosfairo/e...los-ke-kapino/

Squad contains the usual garbage in red.. either completely out of form or just painstakingly under talented.. I have put call ups or potential call ups I am happy with in blue.. there is no official squad yet.

Vlachodimos, Kapino, Dioudis or Paschalakis, Tzavellas, Hatzidiakos, Svarnas, K. Papadopoulos, Mavropanos, Bakakis, Androutsos, Mavrias, Giannoulis, Tsimikas, Kyriakopoulos, Lykogiannis, Zeka, Fortounis, Bakasetas, Siopis, Alexandropoulos?, Mandalos, Pelkas, Limnios, Masouras, Hatzigiovanis?, Giakoumakis, Tzolis, Pavlidis, Douvikas?

[Dean97]

I actually don’t mind Kapino. As long as he’s the 3rd choice and Vlachodimos starts I’m fine with it. Happy to see K.Papadopoulos back in. I wonder why Sokratis and Manolas don’t want to come back??

Limnios is another player I like. Both Limnios and Kapino haven’t had bad games for Greece. Maybe they’ve had one but I remember them standing out at times for Greece. Limnios was our best player for the first games JVS was in charge and in the first couple of nations league games. I’m a bit surprised Reaper you put him in red. I remember Kapino had a great game against Belgium where Karnezis had to be subbed out. He saved us so many times to keep it 1-1 in a game where we could’ve won.

The rest of the ones in red I agree with. Siopis, I wouldn’t have put in red or blue also. He can be useful I think but nothing special.

I’ve noticed in the unofficial call ups that Bouchalakis isn’t there.... I didn’t expect that. I also agree with the blue. Douvikas should definitely be called up. He will have a great career abroad in my opinion.

[Reaper]

I actually don’t mind Kapino. As long as he’s the 3rd choice and Vlachodimos starts I’m fine with it.

For me a terrible keeper. He has been a disaster at club level too.

Limnios is another player I like. Both Limnios and Kapino haven’t had bad games for Greece. Maybe they’ve had one but I remember them standing out at times for Greece. Limnios was our best player for the first games JVS was in charge and in the first couple of nations league games. I’m a bit surprised Reaper you put him in red.

Out of form and last games for the NT he has been non existent.


https://m.sport24.gr/football/oi-dys...a.9147256.html

I’ve noticed in the unofficial call ups that Bouchalakis isn’t there.... I didn’t expect that. I also agree with the blue. Douvikas should definitely be called up. He will have a great career abroad in my opinion.

Bouxa will make the squad I am sure.

[Dean97]

Fair enough. I don’t think there are much differences between all our keepers. Dioudis, Barkas, Kapino, Gelios and Paschalakis have there strengths and weaknesses but none of them standout to the rest. Vlachodimos seems much better then all of them so there’s no point in deciding who should be the 2nd and 3rd keeper. Tzolakis seems very promising.

Regarding Limnios he’s out of form but I think it’s unfair to disregard him. His club form hasn’t been good but I think he deserves more chances than say Bakasetas, Bakakis and Mavrias who haven’t done enough for Greece. I’m up for giving chances to others like Tzolis and Masouras but he deserves to make the bench for what he’s done. For me Limnios has done well and mostly done things by himself and hasn’t had good enough support around him. Players like Bakasetas and Bakakis aren’t good enough to provide the support he needs in my opinion.

[Brklyngrk]

- Manolas hasn't played in Napoli for quite some time, I think he may be returning from a long injury.
- Kapino has been playing quite well now in Germany, earned a few MOM awards.
- Limnios hasn't played much in the last few months, should be looking for a transfer.
- Papadopoulos has been getting playing time and can offer something.

[Brklyngrk]

Regarding - Sok and Manolas

Στο διάστημα του σχεδιασμού της ομάδας επικοινώνησα με τον Σωκράτη Παπασταθόπουλο και τον Κώστα Μανωλά. Τους γνωστοποίησα ότι βρισκόμαστε πλέον στην κύρια φάση του "πλάνου Κατάρ" κι έχοντας ολοκληρώσει τον σχεδιασμό, τις δοκιμές του ρόστερ και την προετοιμασία της ομάδας μας στο κομμάτι της αγωνιστικής φιλοσοφίας, προφανώς και τους υπολογίζουμε στα πλάνα μας.

They still may play in the qualifiers...

[Dean97]

[Reaper]

So let's sum up.

3 natural goalkeepers (all good so far..)

4 natural left backs..
0 natural right backs. Masouras doing well in Poland but Skibbe.. I mean VS doesn't like him...
4 natural CBs.

4 natural CMs.
3 natural wingers.
6 AMs.

3 strikers.

I will state again, Mandalos has regressed massively since his injury, he should be a pure CM now.

What I would change.

1/ Giannis Masouras for Tzavellas (we don't need 4 LBs) but we do need one pure RB.

2/ Ninis for Siopis. Ninis offers more and is in form.

3/ Fetfa to replace Bakasetas - no explanation needed.

4/ Retsos to replace Kyriakopoulos. Retsos is a good RB back up to Masouras and again.. we don't need 4 LBs..

[Dean97]

So let's sum up.

3 natural goalkeepers (all good so far..)

4 natural left backs..
0 natural right backs. Masouras doing well in Poland but Skibbe.. I mean VS doesn't like him...
4 natural CBs.

4 natural CMs.
3 natural wingers.
6 AMs.

3 strikers.

I will state again, Mandalos has regressed massively since his injury, he should be a pure CM now.

What I would change.

1/ Giannis Masouras for Tzavellas (we don't need 4 LBs) but we do need one pure RB.

2/ Ninis for Siopis. Ninis offers more and is in form.

3/ Fetfa to replace Bakasetas - no explanation needed.

4/ Retsos to replace Kyriakopoulos. Retsos is a good RB back up to Masouras and again.. we don't need 4 LBs..

Can’t disagree with you. He wants Tzavellas as a CB... I’d rather Siovas there instead of him. Since he’s left footed, an actual CB and tall. Get rid of Svarnas aswell. Giannis Masouras has been playing really well. Kitsiou and Kotsiras have been playing well also. Mavrias shouldn’t be there.

I believe we’ve got 3DMs = Bouchalakis, Zeca and Siopis.

1 natural CM = Androutsos.

4 CAMs = Fortounis, Mantalos, Pelkas and unfortunately Bakasetas.

wingers = Limnios, Tzolis and Masouras.

Mantalos needs to be put as a CM. We can’t have 2DMs playing with Bakasetas in front of them. We won’t create against Spain like that.

I don’t know who the other 2 CAMs your referring to but I believe there’s 4. I wonder why EPO and JVS went through all the effort to naturalise Vasiliadis and not play him. What’s the point of that. He had a good season even though his team got relegated and has played 15 games or so this season. He should be tested. Instead of seeing the same old 2DMs all the time.

I strongly agree that Ninis, Fetfa and Retsos should be part of this team. It’s a shame that injuries have gotten in the way.

Positives for me are that Androutsos, Mavropanos, Papadopoulos and Douvikas are in the side all should start in my opinion. Douvikas should get some time and experience against Spain.