Bananas

They are not inferior. We are inferior. Every time we lose in these CL play-offs it's to teams that spend more to buy one player than we spend in a whole season. Unfortunately, there is no easy fix.

+20 Could've used Matos tonight. But as I always say, players have egos, but managers have EGOS.

+10

Unfortunately we’re stuck with Ferreira. The cost of replacing him is prohibitive. But more than that, who do you replace him with ? As we’ve seen during this Savvidis era, it’s not easy to hire a good manager. I hope whoever our next future coach is it’s someone with some common sense. Hopefully a German. Ferreira, I don’t get him. Maybe he’s some super manager that’s way beyond my understanding. I get that he wanted to rest players before the Krasnodar game but at least give yourself a fighting chance to win this game. Right now, I predict we’ll be 10 points behind Olympiacos by the half way mark of the season. The GSL is not the CL or EL where teams actually try to play football. It’s closed defences that you need to crack open. Good luck doing that with 3 at the back and 2 on the flanks. Having said that I think the 3-4-3 has merit in European games. Overall I remain unimpressed with him. Hopefully I’ll eat my words.

You forgot the Pontian - Baldockidis.

By the next WC Sokratis will be 34. Siovas 34. Manolas 31. If you're going to put all your eggs in that basket good luck. Wouldn't it be better now to find a new bunch of players and give them game time. Let them learn the system and discipline to be ready. If it happens the oldies have still got it, and their attitude is good, fine, recall them. But to rely on them being fit, ready, uninjured, and more importantly without the attitude, good luck with that. Comparing Mantalos to Masouras, not sure where you're going with it. Totally different players, totally different roles. Mantalos is one of the smarter footballers in the squad. He "gets" the game. That's why he's selected. I've never heard of AEK fans that don't rate him.

Tell me about it! Everyone is going on about the comments from Siovas regarding Manolas. When I read them I just thought "pfft typical" but then when I read the comments from Siovas regarding Svarnas, I was floored. Siovas said what!!! Why don't you just get a shot gun and kill the kid while you're at it. Worse case scenario, you just shot the kids confidence. Best case scenario, if he's got a strong character, he thinks of Siovas "go f--k yourself papara". Either way, how do you expect these two to play together. I can see it now ... Siovas loses his man ... I can cover him but you know what, the prick bad mouthed me, thinks I'm not good enough, and now I'm gonna cover his ass. Nah don't think so. Eat a goal and let the media eat him alive. And that's the human condition. If you think players don't think this way, you don't know football.

Agree with you about Stafylidis. I don't believe any player should be selected when they aren't match fit. And he hasn't played in a year or so. As for your love affair with Manolas and Sokratis - what don't you get ? They cause problems in the team. Have you not played sport where they is a guy who is better than everyone else, but is an a---hole ? How did it turn out ? AEK PAOK conspiracy - what can I say. The truth comes out. I would be happy for Fortounis to start for the NT, but the kid is still lacking. He's a luxury player who doesn't run (read others have to cover for him) and slows the game down (doesn't suit the current system) and plays in patches. In short, a bench option when you need to crack open a stubborn defence. Masouras is good, but right now he's fighting with Limnios for the same position. A good thing really. Bouchalakis, meh, he's ok. Tsimikas, I'm sure he'll be called up soon enough. Anyone else ?

If you're waiting for JVS to come out and tell the media why Manolas and Sokratis have been dropped you'll be waiting a while. There is no benefit to him to burn the bridge. Yes, the bridge is broken but who knows, maybe Manolas might be called back one day. If JVS comes out and says "People in the NT camp told me he's an idiot" then it's all over for good. People can choose to believe EPO sells caps. I don't see JVS as the type to play that game. Do you ? It's important to note where JVS comes from. A country that for many years had a squad good enough to reach the semi finals, and with a little luck, win every major tournament. The Dutch had phenomenal players and talents. And yet, they are up there for having problems with players and egos. The Dutch knows all about players that are toxic. And I'm sure he didn't want to start his new role on a bad footing. He'd rather do it his way - and fail if need be - then pick players based on what team they play for. Heck, it's easy to pick the NT based on which clubs players play for. I can do it, you can do it, we can all do it - like in any video game. Actually getting the players to do what you want, that's the hard part. We forget that these players are human. They are on big money, they think their cock is 6 feet long, and then this no name coach from wherever rocks up and they're looking at him thinking "who is this stooge". That's just how it is. And then the manager has to somehow convince the players he's the right man to steer the ship. And get them to do his bidding. So far he's done well. But then you get Siovas coming out and saying, essentially, "he could make better selections" and "my koumbaro should be in the team" and the worst part "that guy you paired me with, he's ok, but I don't really rate him". How to be an idiot 101. What is JVS to do ? He has to axe Siovas. Siovas left him no choice. I simply think that Siovas didn't realise what he was saying at the time. Anyway, Siovas is 32 years old now. It would've been good if he was in the team (he is a good player) but now it's time to hang them up.

Well he succeeded on both counts! I will go with Occam's razor - I think he was on a high after the game (good win and scored a great goal) and just said what was on his mind - his filter was in sleep mode. Either way, when you start saying things like the coach should select this player, I play better with that player, and it happens you're talking about your koumbaro who by all accounts has a difficult personality, um, there's the exit door. I'm sure he regrets what he said, but Greeks being Greeks he'd probably puff out his chest and say he meant it.

The situation is messy. Yes, we have our best 3 CB's out but the ultimate question is, who runs the team ? JVS has let everyone know who he thinks it should be. Siovas had a HUGE brain fart moment and he basically said JVS could do a better job. Players have egos but so do managers. Georgatos and Zikos messed with Rehhagel and never made it back. Maybe it will be the same with Siovas and Manolas. I hope it can somehow be resolved but I don't see how. If he picks them they'll think "see, he needs us and can't do without us" and no way JVS will allow that. What a mess Siovas created. He just pulled his pants down, took a big crap in JVS's living room and then tried to convince him it smells like roses. As for Olympiacos players not getting selected, I think it's really simple. They will be given the opportunity and if JVS feels they can contribute and have the right attitude they will be selected. If he gets a whiff of players not giving 100% or suddenly becoming injured, I think he'll just move on. I really don't think he'll be that fussed by it.

Oof, Siovas got smacked down! VS said "Siovas clearly made a big mistake. He damaged the team, the team process, by talking as a coach. If he wants to become a coach, stop playing football and become a coach.". I guess that nullifies Siovas's belief that koumbaro > NT. Interview here. Siovas commentary around 9:30. https://www.tvopen.gr/watch/39696/tzonfane28099tsxiposiobaseblapsethnomadakaipleoneinaiektosethnikhs

Fingers crossed both transfers go through because right now we have no RB and no CF. Don't know what the hell happened with Matos this pre-season but he's definitely out the door. It's a shame as he has been a great player overall and I'll miss his aggression and passion. Was great, no superb, in the air also. A real threat. As for Swiderski, he seems to have regressed. If I were Krasnodar, I would be praying he's on the pitch. I can't understand how we sell Akpom at this time. It can't wait until after the CL qualifiers ? Apparently not. For all his lack of goal scoring, he did everything else right on the pitch and was a real team player. Good luck to the kid. Colak, who knows. I checked his stats and he had quite a few spells where he didn't score for weeks. If he is half the goal machine Prijovic was I'll be happy. The one plus is the Croatian League is 5 games in so he should be match fit. Anyway, hopefully these transfers get sorted in the next 24 to 48 hours.

There is nothing wrong with a buyout clause assuming it's not too low. The risk is always there that a club will pay it out and would've potentially paid more. If you take Tsimikas as an example, who would've though 12 months ago he'd be sold to the EPL for 13 million. So what would you have set his buyout clause at ? 5 million might've sounded about right 12 months ago, hell, make it 10 million just for laughs. And yet, he got sold for 13 million. Bang, you've just lost 3 million. So it beggars the question, why even bother with the buyout clause. All it can do is hurt your negotiating position. I see zero sense in having a buy out clause. Alternatively, if you set it crazy high, just in case, it serves no purpose at all. In summary, best case the buyout means nothing (too high) or you've lost out because the player suddenly improved (too low). What would you set Tzolis buyout clause at 12 months ago ? And what would it be today ? What about in 12 months from now ? What if it was 2 million and suddenly a big club swoops in because to them 2 million is like 2 dollars.

Great work guys on episode 2.

Colak - whenever I see his name I think of the old TV show Colchak - The Night Stalker.

This beautiful piece of literature sums up it all better than any words. I can visualise the keyboard getting bashed. I wonder though what an alien civilisation will make of it while they attempt to decipher what it means.

Tricky game, but to be fair probably our best chance ever to qualify for CL. No Benfica or 020 this time around. The Russian League is into round 7 so they are match fit, unlike Besiktas and Benfica. For once it was the opposition and not us whose league started later and aren't match fit. Maybe something for the EPO and GSL to take note of, the stooges. Either way, even if we fall at the last hurdle (again) it's been nice to get some revenge on Benfica. That just leaves 020, or any Dutch team for that matter.

Regardless of what people think Giannoulis is worth or what they'd be satisfied with a sale amount, I'd prefer we don't sell him at all. I just don't think he's easily replaceable. Also, the level of his improvement in the last 24 months, and especially in the last 12 months has been simply astonishing. Knowing our club though, we'll probably sell him for peanuts, and do it before the Krasnodar game. Who knows it could go similar to the Limnios sale, extract below. FC Koln: Limnios good player. We buy. PAOK: Very well. 7 million. FC Koln: 3 million. PAOK: You crazy. The guy is only 22 and has matured so much in the last year. He is the FIRST guy on the team sheet for the National Team. FC Koln: 3 million. PAOK: OK. 6 million. FC Koln: 3 million. PAOK: OK. 5 million, but that's my last offer. FC Koln: 3 million and we'll throw in a poster of Wilhem II. PAOK: Deal, but can we do it after the Benfica game. Our regular RB is having interpersonal problems with the manager and our backup RB is injured. We have a up-coming young kid but the manager doesn't rate him. FC Koln: No. We want him now. PAOK: OK. Would you like me to drop my pants now or later. FC Koln: First I give you poster of Otto von Bismarck, then drop pants. PAOK: Thank you, thank you. FC Koln: If Limnios is so important to you, why did you not renew/extend his contract. PAOK: Who ? (hands Limnios his luggage and shoves him out the door).

What's that ? Sorry, need to put the volume up, gimme a minute. Maybe a sojourn in Hollywood might help.

I think we should replace them both with voice actors.

Think of where Limnios was as a player two years ago, then one year and then today. He’s improved immensely. Exactly what you want from your younger players. Other than him only Giannoulis has done the same. It drives me crazy how we are so eager to sell our youth that are still improving so cheap. Take Pelkas as a counter example. He has improved but kind of flat lined that last 18 months or so. I think he’s hit his ceiling although I’ll be happy to proven wrong. Either way, I feel we’ve let him go to cheap. Worse even, the timing just before a CL qualifier. Everything about this says bitch club to the rest of the world. As for his inconsistency, we could have Messi at PAOK and we’d find a way to criticise him. Anyway what’s done is done. Let’s sell Giannoulis for 3 million also so the club can cash in and then we can complain about how we don’t produce and players.

No Limnios in the squad. Yep, let's not give ourselves our best chance of winning. While we're at it, let's sell a player who is 22 years of age and is currently the most in form player in the NT for a measly 3 million. No lube thanks, I like it dry. I wonder what Olympiacos would've sold him for - not that we should or can match them - just curious.

Any idea of the cost of AEK's stadium ? I remember reading a while back around 50 million.

Just to clarify with PAOK TV, are the games only shown live or can they be streamed at any time ?