Coaching shake-up with the youth national teams
Despite impressing with the under 21 national team, manager Antonis Nikopolidis hasn’t been awarded a new contract, with the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) changing the coaching set-up. AGONAsport investigates further.
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Since taking over the under 21 Greek national side, Euro 2004 winner Nikopolidis has achieved excellent results, notably winning six out of seven UEFA Under-21 European Championship qualifiers to top Group A with 19 points, three above nearest challengers Croatia. In a stand-out statistic, the young Greeks have scored 22 goals while only conceding two, but that wasn’t enough to keep Nikopolidis in his post.
Recently, it became known that the EPO will not extend Nikopolidis’ contract with Greece U21, which is due to expire on June 30. As a replacement, the federation are reportedly considering former Ethniki Omada heroes Angelos Basinas and Vassilis Tsiartas, however an announcement is not expected until July.
Giannis Goumas, boss of the under 19 national team, is also on his way out. Yes, the Ethniki Neon failed to qualify for the UEFA Under-19 European Championship in Finland, but the team put in a positive display, progressing to the Elite Round of qualifying after the preliminary phase. Unfortunately, Greece struggled in the decisive matches against Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, only claiming the one victory in a game with the Czechs.
The situation surrounding Vassilis Georgopoulos, who missed out on qualification for the UEFA Under-17 European Championship, isn’t so clear. In Patras, Greece U17 hosted the elite qualifying round, but the players couldn’t make home advantage count, falling short against Germany and Norway after initially defeating Scotland. More information concerning his position hasn’t been released and major decisions will be taken in a few weeks’ time. Interestingly, Georgopoulos has occupied the job of Greece U17 manager for four years.
Elsewhere, senior national manager Michael Skibbe already penned a new deal with the EPO earlier this year, although goalkeeping coach Theofanis Katergiannakis won’t be staying. Kyros Vassaras, in charge of refereeing development, was not asked to continue working in the role with the EPO setting up a revamped refereeing academy.
