Jimenez among eight to manage AEK on multiple occasions

Manolo Jimenez recently returned to Athens, replacing the departed Marinos Ouzounidis as AEK head coach. In connection with the development, AGONAsport investigates previous managers who also spent more than one spell with the Kitrinomavri.

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The Spanish Saviour is back in business with AEK. On February 5, the 55-year-old signed up for his third stint with the Athenians, taking the place of Ouzounidis after the latter submitted his resignation. In the past, Jimenez won the Greek Cup and Super League with AEK, and the Enosis are hoping he can repeat the success and improve the club’s fortunes in what has been a testing campaign.

Let’s take a trip back in time and look back at the seven other AEK head coaches who managed the first team more than once:

Zlatko Cajkovski (1977-1978, 1982-1983)

Cajkovski etched his name into AEK history in his maiden campaign with the club. In his debut 1977/1978 season, Cajkovski steered AEK to an historic double, winning both the championship and the Greek Cup with players such as Thomas Mavros and Dusan Bajevic. However, despite that success, Cajkovski decided to leave the Athenians at the end of the season and join FC Zurich.

In January 1982, he returned to AEK, however it didn’t go to plan and he subsequently left a year later.

Kostas Nestoridis (1983, 1984)

Upon the departure of Cajkovski, Nestoridis was promoted to the role of head coach, managing the AEK first team for a short while until Helmut Senekowitsch arrived. In February 1984, he was the caretaker boss for the remainder of the 1984/1985 season, with AEK finishing in seventh place of the domestic championship.

Helmut Senekowitsch (1983, 1983/1984)

Taking into account the fact that the Austrian had already managed Panathinaikos and Olympiacos, he was certainly well known to Greek fans when he received the reins at AEK in February 1983. In that season, Senekowitsch tasted glory with AEK, claiming the Greek Cup after beating PAOK 2:0 in the showpiece final. He did leave after the 1982/1983 season, but in December 1984, he coached AEK for the second time. Senekowitsch took his leave after two months.

Dusan Bajevic (1988-1996, 2002-2004, 2008-2010)

A true AEK legend. In the 1988/1989 season, Bajevic immediately took AEK to the top of the Greek pile, finishing three points above second placed Olympiacos. Next season, he then won the League Cup for AEK, before winning three consecutive Greek championships between 1992 and 1994. Bajevic also won the 1989 Super Cup and the 1996 Greek Cup in his first spell as AEK head coach.

Bajevic left in 1996 after eight years with AEK. He then managed Olympiacos and PAOK, and when he first returned to AEK in 2002, he was consequently greeted with a mixed reception. He couldn’t win another title for the Enosis, but in the 2002/2003 UEFA Champions League, Bajevic oversaw the six group stage draws against Real Madrid, AS Roma and Genk. Bajevic later coached AEK for a third time from 2008 to 2010, with his final match being a 1:3 defeat to Olympiakos Volos.

Fernando Santos (2001-2002, 2004-2006)

Santos’ came incredibly close to achieving the double in his first season with AEK. The Kitrinomavri won the Greek Cup with a 2:1 triumph over Olympiacos in the final, but in the league, the Piraeus club finished in first position above AEK on goal difference. Vasilis Tsiartas, Demis Nikolaidis, Carlos Gamarra and Theodoros Zagorakis were important members of Santos’ squad. Santos left AEK after the 2001/2002 season ended due to his difficult relationship with then club president Makis Psomiadis.

The popular Portuguese coach rejoined AEK in 2004 and stayed for two more years. Santos’ best achievement in his second period with AEK was reaching the Greek Cup final (0:3 loss to Olympiacos), and after the 2005/2006 season finished, a mutual decision was taken for him to leave.

Nikos Kostenoglou (2008, 2011/2012)

Former AEK player Kostenoglou was promoted from assistant to head coach in February 2008. Remaining in charge for the rest of the 2008/2009 season, Kostenoglou came within two points of winning the Super League, but the management weren’t sure of his ability to manage AEK over the course of a whole campaign and he was replaced in the summer.

In October 2011, Kostenoglou was given the task of replacing Manolo Jimenez, staying with AEK until the 2011/2012 season ended. AEK took second place of the European playoffs after finishing in fifth spot of the regular season.

Stelios Manolas (2015, 2016)

In his playing days, Manolas - father of AS Roma player Kostas - spent his entire career at AEK, becoming a multiple Greek champion.

Manolas managed two games as temporary manager in October 2015, and in April 2016, he returned to coach the team for a further four matches after Gus Poyet left, lifting the Greek Cup with a 2:1 victory against Olympiacos inside an empty Olympic Stadium.

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: sdna.gr

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