Super League coaching merry-go-round in full swing again

With one third of the 2018/2019 Super League season in the books, six of the 16 competing clubs have already changed their coaches, despite the campaign yet to reach its half-way mark. AGONAsport investigates.

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One club has already seen four different managers coach its team this season. Minnows Apollon Smyrnis, who have registered a mere one point while losing nine games, appear doomed for relegation and sacked Valerien Ismael after one match at the helm. Lefteris Velentzas received the role of caretaker boss and oversaw one game until Alberto Monteagudo was employed on a permanent basis, but the Spaniard didn’t stay in Rizoupoli for long, fired on October 4 after four consecutive defeats in the domestic championship. Veteran boss Giannis Matzourakis is now in charge and he’s steadied the Apollon ship to some extent, but if he is to somehow keep the club in the top flight, he needs to start working miracles. And quick.

The most interesting coaching departure occurred in Thessaloniki. Returning to the Super League after a number of years in the doldrums, Aris made a super start to the season under the guidance of Paco Herrera, however a subsequent run of four successive losses against Panionios, PAOK, AEK and Olympiacos resulted in the 64-year old Spanish coach leaving the club. Savvas Pantelidis ended his tenure at Asteras Tripolis to replace Herrera as Aris head coach.

Levadiakos, AEL and Lamia were the other teams to swap coaches alongside Apollon Smyrnis, Aris and Asteras. The 10 remaining Super League clubs are still with the same manager from when the 2018/2019 season began: AEK (Marinos Ouzounidis), PAOK (Razvan Lucescu), Panathinaikos (Giorgos Donis), Olympiacos (Pedro Martins), Atromitos (Damir Canadi), Xanthi (Milan Rastavac), Panionios (Jose Anigo), Panetolikos (Traianos Dellas), OFI (Nikos Papadopoulos) and PAS Giannina (Giannis Petrakis).

Details of the coaches changes among six Super League clubs:

Apollon Smyrnis

Valerian Ismael (left on August 31);

Lefteris Velentzas (caretaker coach from August 31 until September 12);

Alberto Monteagudo (employed on September 12, left on October 4);

Giannis Matzourakis (employed on October 4).

Asteras Tripolis

Savvas Pantelidis (left on November 12);

Georgios Paraschos (employed on November 12).

Levadiakos

Akis Mantzios (left on October 22);

Giuseppe Sannino (employed on October 22).

AEL

Sotiris Antoniou (left on September 23);

Gianluca Festa (employed on September 24).

Lamia

Charalampos Tennes (left on September 4);

Makis Chavos (employed on September 5).

Aris

Paco Herrera (left on November 5);

Apostolos Terzis (caretaker coach from November 5 until November 14);

Savvas Pantelidis (employed on November 14).

by Shaun Nicolaides

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