Canadi leaves Atromitos with pride and reputation intact

Damir Canadi inspired Atromitos to some wonderful moments, but after two impressive seasons at the helm, the Austrian coach has taken the decision to leave. AGONAsport takes a closer look at his memorable stint in Peristeri.

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In truth, Canadi didn’t enjoy a brilliant start to the 2017/2018 season after joining in the summer. Initially, Atromitos failed to win their first four Super League matches, tallying draws against Apollon Smyrnis, Panetolikos, PAS Giannina and AEL while only scoring three goals in the process. However, after getting to grips with Canadi’s demands, the players suddenly clicked into gear. Atromitos would then win their next five consecutive matches, which included shock 1:0 victories over Olympiacos and AEK on the road. The team would eventually drop their maiden defeat on matchday 11 against PAOK in Thessaloniki.

At one point, it seemed Atromitos might even be capable of mounting a surprise title challenge, but they fell away towards the end of the season to claim fourth place and a berth in the UEFA Europa League. In the second qualifying round of that competition, Atromitos lost to Belarusian side Dynamo Brest in heartbreaking circumstances after conceding a last-gasp goal at the Peristeri Stadium, but the achievement of making Europe in the first place shouldn’t be undermined. Creative Egyptian midfielder Amr Warda - on loan from PAOK - earned the title of the 2017/2018 Nova Sports Most Valuable Player thanks to his fantastic displays.

Taking into account that key players Andreas Gianniotis, Nicolas Diguiny and Warda left in the off-season, many expected Atromitos to fall back into mid-table mediocrity, but Canadi wasn’t having any of it. And once again it was a PAOK loanee who made the difference.

Striking up a productive working relationship with Canadi, 23-year-old Greek international forward Efthymis Koulouris was given a platform on which to shine, striking 19 goals in the domestic championship to become the Super League’s top scorer. With Canadi displaying his tactical intelligence, Atromitos proved a tough nut to crack for the big guns, beating AEK at the Olympic Stadium, holding PAOK to a gritty draw in Peristeri and giving Olympiacos two tough games which ended in narrow 1:2 defeats on both occasions.

Boasting 52 points in the standings, Atromitos finished fourth in the Super League for the second consecutive year under the guidance of Canadi, with the wily Austrian discovering the key to getting the best out of his seemingly modest squad. Players such as Spyros Risvanis, Dimitris Chatziisaias, Dimitris Giannoulis, Madson, Felipe Bruno, Warda and Koulouris have all began to fully realise their potential with Canadi, as he found their strengths and let them take the step to the next level.

Overall, Canadi managed 76 matches across all competitions with Atromitos, achieving 38 victories, 20 draws, a positive goal difference of +49 (117-68) and a points-per-game average of 1.80 in the league. Given Atromitos’ status, a 50% win percentage is remarkable, and alongside the two fourth place finishes in the Super League, he also led the Peristeri-based organisation to two Greek Cup quarter-finals. The only disappointment is the bitter Europa League qualifying loss to Dynamo Brest in the summer of 2018.

Numerical breakdown of Canadi’s Atromitos stint

Super League: 60 matches, 30 victories, 18 draws, 12 losses

Greek Cup: 14 matches, 8 victories, 1 draw, five losses

UEFA Europa League: 2 matches, 0 victories, 1 draw, 1 loss

It now remains to be seen how Atromitos adapt to life without Canadi. Their first task is making progress in the Europa League, with Atromitos due to compete in the second qualifying round in July. Achieving an historic group stage qualification is the goal.

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: sdna.gr

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