Steady Atromitos enjoy another great season
Nick Tsambouniaris examines Damir Canadi’s influence at a steady Atromitos outfit that has gone from strength to strength after securing successive top four finishes.
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Not many experts gave Atromitos much of a chance this season, specifically in relation to repeating last season’s heroics where they finished fourth and qualified for the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League. However, the Peristeri outfit have once again proved that size does not matter and they are the experts in punching above their weight.
Back to Back Top-4 Finishes
After losing several key players, along with the emergence of a young Panathinaikos side and a newly-promoted Aris team, expectations from the outside were low. Under the leadership of the clever Damir Canadi, the men from Peristeri illustrated last season was no fluke and fostered Efthymis Koulouris. The striker, on-loan from PAOK, enjoyed the greatest season any Greek striker has had in recent years by scoring a whopping 19 goals. They may have lost Amr Warda at the start of the season, but it is a credit to the scouting network at the club that they were able to spot Koulouris who was patiently waiting for his chance to shine.
It was not only about the goals, however, as the back line was a pillar of strength. Marshalled by young Greek duo Dimitris Chatziiasaias and Spyros Risvanis at the heart of defence, they only conded 28 goals in 30 games (less than a goal per game). This was the fourth best defence in the Championship.
The team possessed a great blend of youthful exuberance and wily veterans. This was a major factor in securing consecutive top-4 finishes. Young players took their respective careers to new levels, but experienced veterans such as Javier Umbides brought that coolness and calmness that is required for a season-long slog. At 37, his professionalism rubbed off on the youngsters.
This top-4 finish was practically secured some time ago, which is a testament to the type of season Atromitos enjoyed. They won exactly half of their matches and knocked off Panathinaikos, AEK, and Aris along the way. They were also one of four teams to hold an undefeated PAOK to a draw.
The Epitome of Stability
This was not the first time Atromitos enjoyed successive top-4 berths, however, it was the first time since the 2013-14 season. This season’s feat in qualifying for the early rounds of the Europa League was the sixth time in the last eight years Atromitos qualified for Europe.
This achievement is made even more incredible when the budget of the club is examined. Atromitos’ budget is nowhere near that of the “Big-5”, yet they consistently punch above their weight which is a testament to the club’s management, coaching, and culture.
Here are the recent finishes of Atromitos:
2011/12 - 4th on 50 points
2012/13 - 4th on 46 points (3rd in the playoffs)
2013/14 - 4th on 66 points in an 18 team competition
2014/15 - 5th on 54 points in an 18 team competition (4th in the playoffs)
2015/16 - 9th on 39 points
2016/17 - 8th on 39 points
2017/18 - 4th on 56 points
2018/19 - 4th on 52 points
The Plan Remains Unchanged
The club found its ‘recipe’ to success a long time ago but the most pleasing aspect is that they have not wavered from their plan. They have stuck to it and it has yielded great results. In fact, they are somewhat of a ‘model club’ for those outside if Greece’s “big 5.”
Georgios Spanos and Giannis Angelopoulos deserve immense credit and it is unlikely they fear what lies ahead. Even though Canadi will depart the club after two amazing seasons, they will be very confident of finding the right successor that fits in with their plan.
Search for a New Coach Begins
It will not be easy to find a ready-made replacement on such a shoestring budget, however, such is the culture at the club that the new boss will be employed to fit in the system that is already in place. This will enable him to hit the ground running. The duo of Spanos and Angelopoulos got to work as of Monday, although names will not surface for another couple weeks.
Recent reports indicate that it will be another foreigner that steps into the role, but one that is known to the Greek football world.
Canadi’s Legacy
The experienced Austrian does not know where he will end up next, however, a move to Germany has been mooted. His stocks as a manager will undoubtedly be sky-high after two great seasons - Atromitos finished no lower than 4th and he built the best squad in Greece outside of AEK, PAOK, and Olympiacos.
Several notable talented youngsters enjoyed career best seasons under him such as Warda, Koulouris, Giannoulis, Risvanis, Chatziisaias, and Gianniotis to name a few. Having a strong relationship with the playing squad is vital in today’s football and Canadi certainly ticks this box.
Ironically, the only low point during his two year stay in Western Athens was the fact that Atromitos failed to make it past the group stage of the Greek Cup.
For more on Canadi’s success visit here.
