A full preview for the 2018/19 Greek Football League season
The Greek Football League has only just gotten underway and AGONAsport’s Greg Gavalas brings you a full preview for the 2018/19 season.
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The Greek Football League is finally up and running. For yet another season, the National Second Division has had to wait for 2 months to get started (due to TV rights), which is another embarrassing situation surrounding the Greek Football Federation. Nevertheless, the league has only just gotten underway and AGONAsport’s Greg Gavalas takes a look at the contenders for the dream of promotion to the SuperLeague.
THE FAVORITES
IRAKLIS – The historical club is the odds-on favorite to get back to the top division given the experience Iraklis has on the squad.
Iraklis finds themselves in the second division for the fourth time in recent years. That is why the Thessalonikis have trusted the team building in Pavlos Miforidis, who in the 2014-15 season led the "blue-whales" on the rise (something that has succeeded, among other things, with Aris last year and twice in the past with Apollon Smirinis), and Alekos Vosniadis (succeeded Spyros Baxevanos in the technical leadership) who knows the category of the locals well. The return of Emannuel Perone and Giannis Papadopoulos (who played for Iraklis in 2008 before moving to Olympiakos), combined with the acquisition of Silva Kleiton, creates high expectations for the new season.
KERKYRA - Following relegation from the Super League, the Faiakes changed their coach (last season ended with Yiannis Matzourakis) and hired Dimitris Spanos, who last year brought Aris to the top category. The administration has held several Super League players like Thuram, Branislav Nikic, Alex Kontos, Panagiotis Zorbas, Giannis Ioannou, Spyros Spinoulas and Fotis Koutzavasilis, and has taken others who have fought in the top division of Greece (Kouros, Villa, Siatravanis). On the basis of the roster, the Ionian a team can count as one of the favorites to occupy one of the top two positions (second place leads to a promotion playoff).
Kerkyra has been able to get back to the Super League each time they were relegated previously (2005-2006, 20013-2014 and 2015-16) so like Iraklis, given the number of players with top division experience, the same is expected this season.
PANACHAIKI – Last season Panachaiki finished 3rd, behind OFI and Aris. Socrates Oprydopoulos remained in the position of coach, Kostas Katsouranis in that of technical director, and the administration remained as is. The Achaeans did not lose a player they could not keep. Those whom wanted to keep, they kept, those whom they didn’t, they did not.
Key players such as Moraitis (14 goals last year), Eleftheriadis, Kinigopoulos, Lumbardas, Dassios, Sotirakos and Polimos will also wear the red-black jersey. Only two foreigners, Bulgarian Karatsanakov and Argentinean Coll are on the squad, but also smart additions (Kotsonis, Tselepidis, Papatolio, Mavrias and Bastakos).
Panahaiki has not been in the First Division since 2003, it won’t be easy but they will be looking to go one better from last season.
DOXA DRAMA - The Dramians, after finishing 5th last season, decided in the summer to change their policy with their goal of being no more than the Super League. For this reason, the major shareholder of the "Mavraetoi" Yannis Biros gave the keys to Staic Verges (head coach). Players like Goudoulakis, Spyropoulos, Oosthis, Georgiadis and others passed the door of the exit. Instead, they got players who know the category, such as Makris and Pitkas. At the same time, younger players (Patralis, Cretan) joined the roster, while on the positive side is the stay of Rizogianni, Kouskouni, Baikara and Siopis, who are expected to help significantly.
With a coach who has a term in the Super League and the Europa League and a president on a high financial level, Doxa Drama is one of the strong teams of the Football League. This year's Mavraetoi are composed of footballers who are going to be better with another season together –watch this space.
Potential Candidates for Promotion
TRIKALA - The Thessalian’s who will participate for the fourth consecutive season in the National League are expected to appear totally different from last year where they occupied the 6th position of the championship. Kostas Nebegleras, who hung his football shoes and took over as technical manager has created an alloy of young key players (Tsikikas, Symelidis, Makridis) and experienced (Randi, Gotovos) players with a desire to be distinguished. An indicative of the summer changes is that only six players of last year's roster (Tsiaras, Golias, Sialmas, Gidopoulos, Myrsinias, Katsantonis) will be in that of the new season, while for the "blue" Ratko Dostanic, who knows the category as well as the 2011-12 and 2015-2016 seasons, had taken over Diagoras and Larissa respectively.
AOX KISSAMOS - Admirable last year. Few expected that AOX Kissamikos could occupy the 4th position and even with 29 points. Giorgos Petrakis. The Cretan coach remained on the bench as well as key players such as Lazaridis, Toli, Zioulis, Saliakas, Gkini, Vrettos and Chalkiadakis. The Chanioi were backed by foreign footballers, Ali Cisse (defender from Sierra Leone), Raan Kantima and Zerom Shimon (French midfielder), Rope Rycki (Finnish striker) and Dominique Malonga (Congolese aggressor).
Accomplished Greeks with experience and quality (Apostolopoulos, Araralelis, Tegousis, Karagiannis, Papachristos, Fazos) shows that this season AOX Kissamikos will not be just a 2nd division participant in the category, but will try to surprise for a second consecutive season.
ERGOTELIS - The Takis Gonia era was completed in Ergotelis. The administration of the team of Heraklion decided to assign the reins to Niki Papavassiliou, who will work for the second time in the Football League after doing so with OFI. The biggest loss is the Belgian striker, Hugo Kaysers, who last year scored 22 goals in 28 games. Although he still has a contract, his decision to refuse AEK's proposal (Ergotelis had agreed with the Enosi) put him on the "ice." Very important was the renewal of the co-operation with US striker Joseph Eford, while the additions of Kupidis, Kuwait, Hadjidimba and Isaachuk Yakubou are important.
VOLOS NFC - The New Football Association of Volos will participate for the first time in the Football League. A team of just two years, but with a roster that could do the "damage" to each team. The first pieces of writing, through Cup and friendly matches, are great. In the Thessalian team, coach Juan Ferrando, they point out that there is no other goal beyond the rise. Taking a look at the players that make up the whole, he will realize that eight of them have played in the big category, even once. These are Karagiolidis, Dendakis, Roussos, Franco, Meliciotis, Pitos Garcia and Pissa. After winning first prize in the 3rd National Championship, Volos will be looking for a repeat in the 2nd National Champioship.
THE UNDERDOGS
KARAISKAKIS - Among the teams with the smallest roster are Karaiskakis SA. Sakis Papavasiliou, who did a great job last year, finishing in 8th place, remained in the position of coach. The team of Arta, with the same administration, has borrowed from PAOK (Moutsa, Papadopoulos, Matthaios, Kakkos) and other Greek footballers with experience (Stefanakos, Kapias, Pantidos and Machairas).
SPARTI FC - New major shareholder (Dimitris Voudouris) has started of the season with PAO legend Krzysztof Warzycha however the Pole was fired (in nice Greek fashion) after the defeat at the Cup's premiere by Thyela Kameriou. He was replaced by Russian Andrei Chernisov. The former PAOK player, will lead a youthful team with no experience in the Football League. Bad news for the Laconia team that players who had been loaned by Panathinaikos left (Hantzaras, Stamatopoulos, Economopoulos).
PLATANIAS - The other team of the Super League that has been deposed is Platanias. Few footballers of last year's roster have remained in Chania's team, those that have including Sano, Nilly, Wes, Singh and Papanicolaou, did not play a leading role last season. While this year was to begin with Paulo Campos in the technical leadership, the problem with Brazilian diplomacy resulted in the premature "divorce", while with him in the position of technician there was an early loss in the Cup (5-4 in penalty shootout by Aris Abatos). Giannis Tatsis replaced him, a man with many years in football, but never in the position of the first coach. Platanias should finish in the mid table.
AIGINIAKOS - Over the last season, a new administration took over Aiginiakos, who managed to keep the team in the category with the additions made during the winter transfer period. In the summer, the leaders of the Club had all the time to organize the Club, to hire the coach they want but also to get the players they want. Apostolos Charalambidis was recruited as coach, while loaners were acquired by Super League teams. Koutas and Markovsky from PAOK, Dimitroulas from Panathinaikos, Nikalakopoulos and Zissis from Tripoli. The team of northern Pieria will seek to stay the new season in the Football League, mainly taking advantage of the home games. Aiginiakos is one of the groups that were restricted and players have to be under 23 years old.
IRODOTOS - The economic disaster of the previous month with the former administration, means there is little to blow in the air for Irodotos' participation in the Football League. Iraklis Nutharis gave his hands to Stelios Sochios and took over the majority package. This move was accompanied by payments, with a finale in the players' absence and with a new coach Armando Fuccini, as Manolis Papamatthyakis preferred to resign.Players such as Damianakis, Makos, Avgenikos, Smyrlis, Dimitris Konstantinidis, Bramma Cone, Ailton Masados and Antonis Amarantidis will make the main 11. The primary goal of staying in the Football League given the rough off season and lack of funding.
APOLLON LARISA - Panayiotis Manzanas remains as Chairman, although it was doubtful in the summer if he would remain in this position. Since the championship started late, there was no problem. New coach Brazilian Marcello Troizi,was able to sign his compatriots who can make a difference. Lucas Ramos, Netto Marcolino, Lucas Poleto and Lucas Lukao will have key positions and will try to impart a good dynamic to a team of moderate capabilities. Last year's prestige certainly provided players and management experience, but there are sure to be much stronger teams in the Football League.
APOLLON PONTOU - After a long period of administrative and consequently uncertainty, Apollo Pontus made the roster for the 2018-2019 season. Many changes from the previous year, but with the same coach, Dimitris Kalaitzidis, who also has the post of technical director. players such as Georgiades, Amarantidis, Samaras, Pourtolidis and Kyvelides renewed their contracts and former Olympiakos football player Michael Olaitan returned to Greek football. The squad of the Kalamaria team has no depth and it remains to be seen how long it will stand, although there is no aid in the winter transcription period.
