Bananas

All things considered a very good result. The team averted the worst case scenario (disaster) of us missing out on Europe next season. How did Tsaousis play ? Also, nice to see Soares score a goal and also not get a yellow card.

Nice observations @paokarag4. Overall I'm content with how the two games played out. I really expected Marseille to bash us and was expecting an aggregate loss of 4+ goals. We competed well for 3 out of the 4 halves of the games. Great run overall and hopefully more to come. Great adventures and stories of their trip to France from @Athens4 and @DunfermlineAthleticPAOK. Thanks for the stories guys. Much appreciated. It's a shame we couldn't score early. So many good chances but the boys gave it their all. This is where if we had a better class of striker it could've change the game. Give us a Milik and we'd win this game. I like Akpom, the kid is a work horse but he'll never be prolific. If had a Berg type of striker (when he was at his best) this could've been our game. As posters have noted, Marseille were there for the taking. Lots for the club to think about in the upcoming transfer period. Let's see which contracts get renewed (and piss off posters on this forum ha ha). As always, it'll be difficult to attract good talent to Greece. And lastly, El Khaddouri getting injured in the warm up, ha ha, what can you say.

Looks like there will be changes regarding FFP rules. The change being clubs can only spend 70% of their incomes (presumably the 70% being on transfers and wages). Let's see what happens. Not sure how this would affect us as I find the financial side of PAOK a bit of a mystery.

I was going to ask i.e. when was the last time AEK beat us, but you've answered the question. Man, talk a beat down!

Just putting it out there but if the situation in Ukraine doesn't sort itself out it's possible Russia will be removed any everyone below will move up 1 ranking.

Nope. It will be used to sign Ninis and Fetfatzidis.

Looking a bit old there. Could do with some air brushing.

Bodo or Slavia Prague obviously. The Dutch we are 80% eliminated or maybe 100% actually. The others, yeah we'll just be there for the ride. But hey we made it this far and anything more is a bonus. Speaking of bonuses, keep that sweet prize money rolling in. Found this really good website with a detailed breakup of prize money for each of the UEFA competitions and it also includes total prize money per club. https://www.football-coefficient.eu/money/

I don’t think so. He hasn’t played much but in 9 appearances not a single yellow card.

Hmm I haven’t checked that thread out in ages but I’m not surprised. A common theme I’ve seen over the years is for this need to have a scapegoat. Be it Katsouranis, Tziolis or whoever. Not that these guys were great, they had their flaws but somehow there was this belief if we replaced them everything else would fall into place. Now it seems to be Bakasetas and Mantalos. Most people can watch soccer all their lives but can’t read a game let alone understand how team management, psychology and cohesion works. Skill is but one factor in selecting a player. There are many other factors considered. If it was all about skill, just go and pick one of those guys you see in a park that can juggle the ball like a champion.

Either way he's 5th choice CB even if we were to offer him a new contract (which would be bizarre). He's had 5 or 6 mostly good seasons with us, made himself some dollars and overall been a excellent transfer for us. Time to call it a day and look towards the future for both Varela and the club.

I hope you’re right regarding modern medicine. He might get away with it to an extent being a CB. With a forward losing just a fraction of your acceleration it can make all the difference. Anyway I hope he recovers. I like the idea of having some players from our youth that aren’t just there to make up the numbers. Lyratzis, Michailidis, Tsingaras. I dream of Giannoulis and Tzolis coming back even though I know that’s silly. Having said that they are getting zero game time recently at Norwich. Lyratzis … what has his yiayia been feeding him ? I always figured him as 3rd choice RB and he was just there to make up the numbers. In a year or two he’d be loaned out and then off to obscurity. And now all of a sudden the kid is locking down RB and making it his own. Good to see and hopefully it’s not just a momentary bit of form.

Yeah I remember reading about his son signing for Benfica but didn’t think anything of it. I mean who wouldn’t take that opportunity. So I didn’t read anything into it. If there any truth to the club being “offended” by it … well they should get over it. If anything his form had dropped considerably and we were leaking goals like a sieve. So I just figured he was dropped to give him a kick in the pants ego wise and he either couldn’t be bothered or just can’t play at the level anymore. A quite precipitous drop really. So I guess that’s that then. Crazy when you think about it. I can remember comments on this forum when we won the title like “Varela is king” (that made me laugh). A shame he couldn’t go out in a more dignified manner.

The thing that worries me with these injuries is not so much the time which is bad in itself, it's the question of will the player ever fully recover. Some do, but some don't and they're never the same.

Varela ... what the hell happened there? He went from being a first team player to not even being picked in match squads in a matter of what seems like weeks. Did somebody hurt his feelings and he's called it a day ?

3 yellows in 6 appearances. It is encouraging that he’s already understanding the team philosophy. I say extend his contract.

How did the new kid Soares look ? I hope for 2.5 million there is something there.

I think we need a trainer just to cut down on the number of yellow cards we get. It's ridiculous. If the league was decided on yellow cards surely we would have to be favourites to win the title each season. 😀

Depends on the quality of the transfers we bring in. If we don't get a better CB or LB than Crespo or Vieirinha I would be happy to offer them a 1 year contract. I still think they have something to offer as rotation or mainly off the bench players. Biseswar is still required as he is the only player in our team with any creativity at all. I'd be happy to get a younger replacement but I'm not hopeful that is going to happen. Again, if used well, he has something to offer. You need to remember in the GSL the standard is quite low and all of the 3 above players can still cut it. It's not until we play decent European teams that their age is a negative.

The part that gets me is how teams up and move to another city. Like wtf ha ha. Try that in Europe and cities would be rioting. But the bizarre thing is it seems to work. Sure we're gonna move PAOK from Salonika to Athens and fans will come. And yet, they do. Talk about strange. I suppose that's what happens in a nation that refuses to go convert to the metric system.

It would be ideal if the stadium could be ready for the 2026 season (100 years) but I think Ziaka is probably right. It's been how many years and still no meaningful movement. I don't even think about it anymore. If I see an article about this topic it's 50/50 if I even bother to read it. I don't expect anything to happen other than "talk". We'll probably be in the same position in a few years. In the meantime, Panathinaikos look like they'll be getting a new stadium and by Greek bureaucratic standards that was fast tracked.

6 million from UEFA plus market pool still to come (no idea what that amounts to but you’d think it’d be another million at least). Add to that the 21 million we’ve made in the transfer market and that’s a decent war chest to make some signings in the summer.

Couldn’t ask for a better draw really. Also a chance to inflict some pain on Gent for selling us Esiti. 😄

Vre boys, now things are just getting weird. What the heck is going on ? The team had the international break and since then everyone has tuned out. I didn't expect to win the title this year but I thought we'd be closer than this. And now we are in danger of actually losing to the Imps ... good lord.

I'd actually keep one of Varela or Crespo to have them as a backup - on the condition they understand they are not automatic first team picks and only for one year and on reduced salary. So in other words, not gonna happen, ha ha. I guess it all depends on if we re-sign Ingason and if we get another CB also. If we can get another Ingason quality CB then yeah I'd be happy to let Varela and Crespo go. They have done what they had to do. They have both been very good players overall and very successful signings. But it's obvious they are ageing. The other wildcard is how Mihaj and Michailidis develop. I can see Michailidis especially develop into a very decent player. Lyratzis, this kid should be knocking on the door of first team football by now. He needs to be loaned out and if by some miracle he develops into the next Giannoulis, great (however unlikely) but it seems he isn't to the level required at this stage. Sidclay, fully agree, would be great to sign him permanently. Our whole back line is not up to par. We need a better GK, RB, new CB to complement Ingason and then maybe we're good to go. In the midfield, I know it sounds crazy but I'd try and re-sign Biseswar. He's still got it. If used wisely you can another season out of him no problem and he will repay you with points. Vieirinha it kills me but I think this season is it for him. Time to think about becoming an assistant coach maybe. His body just won't do what he wants anymore. Paschalakis we need to replace. We need a good solid GK which really we have *never* had. Kagawa ha ha. There's the door buddy. Overall a terrible signing even if there were good intentions. Akpom we'll see. Agree if Swiderski and Oliveira are both available there isn't much room for him.