Round One To Van ’t Schip

AGONAsport’s national team contributor, George Tsitsonis, believes John van ’t Schip’s early work as Greece manager has given cause for cautious optimism.

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Mystified. Shocked. Bewildered. Perplexed. That would come close to describing as to how I felt when Canadian-born Dutch manager John van ’t Schip was appointed as the head coach of Greece back in July. The most positive thing I could say at that point was the signing left me feeling underwhelmed.

It seemed to me that once again the Greek Football Federation (EPO) had outdone itself in its ability to make god-awful decisions. If nothing else, the secrecy that shrouded the EPO’s process in selecting a new boss was concerning and it remains so to this day for me. But, and it's a big but now, the decision to appoint a seemingly unknown manager has thus far borne fruit. In a few short months, van ’t Schip has managed to pick up the pieces of another terrible qualifying campaign and rally the support of the public in the process, despite being on the bench and overseeing a home draw versus Liechtenstein. 

THE KOTSIA TO CHANGE

Van ’t Schip has won three of his six matches in charge. There have been defeats to Finland and Italy away from home along with victories in Greece against Bosnia and Finland, an away win at Armenia, and the draw against Liechtenstein. The failure to defeat the minnows potentially looked like an early, fatal blow to the manager. 

However, it was also an opportunity. If ever there was an excuse to rock the boat or break open a new path, this was it. And van ’t Schip took the road less travelled. It would not have been without its risks to dump players out of the squad the stature and quality of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Kostas Manolas. Some believed it was a stupid move, while others saw it as courageous. In all likelihood, van ’t Schip alongside assistant coaches Michael Valkanis and Aron Winter, saw it more logical than anything else. The draw against Liechtenstein meant qualification was lost, why not then give some new blood a chance. 

What has resulted in the subsequent matches has been a new-look Ethniki, one where passion and energy reign, and where there is a desire to play a faster, more attacking brand of football. 

YOUNGSTERS REPAY THE FAITH

Some of van ’t Schip’s decisions, such as playing Kostas Stafylidis at center-back, have been puzzling to some observers as have a few of his substitutions early on in his reign. However, his philosophy of reaching out and assessing young talent and ability in getting his team to play attractive, attacking football has been overwhelmingly welcomed by Greek fans across the globe. 

Players previously overlooked or on the periphery of the squad such as Pantelis Chatzidakos, Dimitris Giannoulis, Kostas Galanopoulos, Vangelis Pavlidis, and Dimitris Limnios have all been vital cogs of the team in recent matches. Not only where they given their chance, but they responded with a series of positive performances. All those players are under the age of 25. Suddenly, van ’t Schip has changed up the core of the side and the foundation is being built on youngsters. It is worth noting that only two members of the entire Greek squad for the two latest matches against Armenia and Finland were over 30. 

FLASHBACKS TO REHHAGEL

The new Greek manager has also taken a page out of the playbook of one his predecessors. When Otto Rehhagel was appointed as the coach of the national team some 18 years ago, he, like van ’t Schip, began with a terrible result. Rehhagel started his tenure with a 5-1 defeat away to Finland. Van ’t Schip also lost to Finland in his first encounter, but the low point for him was the home draw versus Liechtenstein. Both managers used those poor results to their advantage however. 

Rehhagel had fallen out with Grigoris Georgatos on the eve of his debut and after the debacle in Helsinki, he axed Greece’s biggest name from the squad. The German began to put his faith in other players with the likes of Akis Zikos and Ieroklis Stoltidis also not being able to find a way into the Greek side. Criticism followed after Georgatos was banished (note: technically Georgatos quit the Ethniki after the loss to the Finns and later on Rehhagel insisted the player had ruled himself out of contention. Most observers are of the mindset that after their spat, Georgatos was always going to be on the outside looking in with regard to the team).

While van ’t Schip did not have anything as dramatic as that occur with Papastathopoulos and Manolas he saw the opportunity to give new blood a chance by dropping those two players and a handful of other older players. Inevitably, criticism emerged from some quarters after omitting that center-back duo, however those voices are in the minority now. Supporters are beginning to like what they see. Sokratis and Manolas could still be in the frame, but even veterans such as them will have to accept the new reality that van ’t Schip’s strategy has all to do with banking on young talent. 

ROUND ONE TO VAN’T SCHIP

The early sucker punch from Liechtenstein did not knock van ’t Schip out and his handling of the team after that has received high marks. If his reign is likened to a boxing match then he has won round one and is way ahead on points. A cautious optimism is returning for fans. 

This has to be a step-by-step process however, one where strong foundations can be laid in order to produce a competitive team for the next five to ten years. Even Rehhagel began to endure trouble early on in his time with Greece. It was on the basis of some performances and results though that the trust on him was built, the prime example being the 2-2 draw away to England in 2002 World Cup qualifying. 

There has been no such seminal moment yet for van ’t Schip and certainly the 55-year-old will soon face much tougher tests than the likes of Finland and Armenia. For now there is time for that. The work done by van ’t Schip and his team in the last two months has succeeded in freshening up the side and the football Greece play. Watching the Ethniki has been an enjoyable pursuit for the first time in years. Whether it means that a new dawn for the Ethniki is upon us remains to be seen. The early signs are undoubtedly encouraging. 

By George Tsitsonis

Image Source: to10.gr

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