J1078

Italy 1-0 10 minutes in

I agree I like the starting line up except for Bakasteas. he choose to start someone out of position instead of an inform winger we've all been waiting for to be healthy and a regular starter for the NT.

WTF...… Are you kidding me Bakashit over Donis are you kidding me??? He choose to go with the guy that is getting booed at by the AEK fans.. I don't get this at all. We have been waiting for Donis to be healthy to be a regular starter and then he doesn't start him...

For those who are interested Agona sport is offering the game for $7.55 us. I just ordered it.

I’m in the fence with this one.. I read the article and saw the video and honestly I’m still not to sure he should have said certain things... I see both sides to be honest..

Press conference

Socrates- out vs Liechtenstein and 50/50 vs Bosnia Manolas -Out for both games

If he does this he’s making a big mistake, he needs to start the guys that are going to be playing against Bosnia and use this game to build confidence and chemistry together.. I don’t know what the mindset behind this is.. Why play your most important game with line up that will be rusty or unfamiliar with each other.. Man I hope this is not true.. i also read a similar article that said he may go with something unexpected in the first game.. did he not see what happend against Estonia when he used a messed up line up???

95% of sites are saying Bosnia and Italy will qualify from this group.. Are we really surprised? Of course they are favoured why wouldn’t they be? They are in a higher fifa ranking, they advanced to the Nations league playoffs meanwhile Greece lost to Estonia.. There is no question we are the underdogs but maybe it’s better that way for us..

So you have covered all positions but 6th.. ?

Is anyone else a little nervous about this first game that every seems to be overlooking? We’ve seen this team with its worst efforts against these type of teams.. if we are tied after 45 I will be shitting my pants.. An early goal is key, the longer it stays scoreless into the match this where we start to panic and make stupid mistakes..

If that's the case I still wouldn't paly him in the first game as I don't want to take a chance that he reaggravates his injury. I would save him for the Bosnia game. If our guys cant beat Lichtenstein without Socratis then we have bigger problems then we thought.

Boys this team is going no where without Socratis and Manolas.. Bosnia will be next to impossible to get a result of Socratis is missing..

I agree man, I think Socratis has lost faith and believe in the team and has lost some of his passion.. we have no shot at picking up points against Bosnia without our star players who are our only strengths on this team.. I was so excited and looking forward to these qualifiers and now my moral has dropped after seeing all of these injuries and reading Socratis comments..

That’s what they said on the radio and now a couple of websites are reporting it.. for sure he won’t play in the first game aginast letchenstein and for the Bosnia game he will see how he feels.

This is turning out to be a disaster start for the NT.. injured and out Socratis Manolas Toro Retsos Staf Mantalos Pelkas Lazaros This looks like it’s going to turn out to be a s%$#! show for the NT.. We never even can give ourselves a fair chance because we never have a full healthy line up.. These guys are made of glass ffs..

No Manolas and no Socratis that’s fantastic... WTF this is an absolute joke.. We are going to get smashed Against Bosnia..

I just heard on the radio that Socratis is injured and will miss the game now. I caught the tail end of it on the radio can anyone confirm this? Please tell me this is not the case ffs...

I don't really care if Mantalos is injured but isn't it funny how before every qualifier or tournament our players seem to drop like flies??? This is starting to become comical.. Never fails

I agree, For me Socratis comments don't give me or who ever reads the article much optimism. He's pretty much saying we are not good enough and the Greek players don't care as much for the NT. That's not what you want to here or read about from a so called leader. Also he should keep his comments about this being his last go around with the NT to himself as the team does not need anymore distractions around them. Also how are the young guys going to listen to him when they know he wont be here after this tournament.. The problem is I truly don't believe Socratis thinks they are good enough to advance and if that's his mentality and thinking then we honestly have no chance because that vibe will trickle down to the entire team. You would never hear Kara or any of those guys excepting defeat never in a million years. As far as retiring he should want to wear the NT jersey for as long as he can play the game and when he gets older he should want to be a veteran presence and a guy coming off the bench rather then a guy that says "I'm tired and this is my last tournament"

This will be the last time Socratis wears the NT jersey. Also sounds like he doesn't really believe in the team and its players.... εν είναι στα άμεσα μελλοντικά σχέδιά του η επιστροφή στην Ελλάδα - ακόμη κι αν έτσι στεναχωρεί τους φίλους της πρώην του ομάδας, ΑΕΚ - υποστήριξε ο Σωκράτης Πασταθόπουλος. O 30χρονος διεθνής κεντρικός αμυντικός της Άρσεναλ υποστήριξε στην εκπομπή "Total Football" του "Open TV" ότι τα ματς για το Euro 2020 ίσως να είναι και τα τελευταία του με την Εθνική. Παράλληλα τόνισε ότι ο ΠΑΟΚ δίκαια φθάνει στην κατάκτηση του τίτλου. Για τα μελλοντικά του σχέδια: "Ακόμα έχουμε κάμποσα χρόνια. Πιστεύω 3-4 χρόνια ακόμα. Πριν από 3-4 χρόνια σκεφτόμουν να γυρίσω στην Ελλάδα ένα χρόνο, να κλείσω την καριέρα μου; Τώρα θα πω ότι όχι, δεν θα γυρίσω στην Ελλάδα. Δεν σκέφτομαι να γυρίσω στην Ελλάδα. Θα προτιμήσω να πάω στην Αμερική ή στην Κίνα ή κάπου αλλού, και για εμπειρία, από το να γυρίσω στην Ελλάδα. Πολλοί ΑΕΚτσήδες θα στενοχωρηθούν, αλλά δεν σκέφτομαι να γυρίσω στην Ελλάδα". Για την Εθνική ομάδα: "Αν σου πω ότι δεν πιέζομαι καθόλου στην ομάδα μου, από θέμα παιχνιδιών, στρες, καθαρά ποδοσφαιρικό και μόλις έρχομαι στην Εθνική πιέζομαι γιατί πραγματικά έχω άγχος. Γιατί βλέπω κι εγώ ότι πραγματικά κάτι δεν πάει καλά. Και δεν είναι τωρινό, ότι ένα χρόνο υπάρχει αυτό το θέμα. Ναι, έχω μεγάλη πίεση, η μεγαλύτερη πίεση που έχω αυτή τη στιγμή στο ποδόσφαιρο είναι η Εθνική ομάδα. Έχω αποφασίσει κάποια πράγματα. Πιστεύω ότι μπορεί να είναι ο τελευταίος χρόνος στην Εθνική. Αν δεν περάσουμε θα είναι ο τελευταίος χρόνος στην Εθνική. Το έχω πάρει απόφαση, είμαι συνειδητοποιημένος. Είμαι και κουρασμένος. Αλλά πια βρίσκομαι 14 χρόνια στην Εθνική. Ίσως και τα νέα παιδιά να χρειαστεί να αναλάβουν περισσότερο. Όλα άλλαξαν και πολλά δεν πήγαν καλά. Το πρόβλημα κυρίως είναι ότι και δεν έχουμε πια το ποδοσφαιρικό επίπεδο που είχαμε παλιά, δεν έχουμε τους παίκτες, την ποιότητα. Και πιστεύω πως στην Ελλάδα ασχολούνται λιγότερο με την Εθνική, για το καλό της, σε σχέση με πριν 7,8-10 χρόνια. Με ό,τι συνεπάγεται. Μεγάλη ευθύνη έχει και η ΕΠΟ και η ελληνική νοοτροπία. Αλλά και η ΕΠΟ, γιατί όταν μία ομάδα δεν πάει καλά, φταίνε και οι παίκτες, και η διοίκηση. Έχουμε μπροστά μας πολλά παιχνίδια, δύσκολα. Παιχνίδια που πρέπει να κερδίσουμε. Θα πάμε να διεκδικήσουμε το καλύτερο, δεν είμαστε φαβορί. Πιστεύω πως κι εμείς οι παίκτες πρέπει να καταλάβουμε πια ότι η Εθνική ομάδα δεν είναι στο επίπεδο που ήταν πριν από 5,7,8,10 χρόνια. Και σε κάθε παιχνίδι να μπαίνουμε πάνω απ' όλα για να το χαιρόμαστε και να κατορθώνουμε να παίρνουμε το καλύτερο". Για τη μάχη του πρωταθλήματος: "Πιστεύω ότι ο ΠΑΟΚ δίκαια είναι πρώτος, δίκαια θα πάρει το πρωτάθλημα. Έχει την καλύτερη ομάδα, την πιο σταθερή. Έχει μία ομάδα που φαίνεται πεινασμένη σε σχέση με τις άλλες και μία ομάδα η οποία είναι δεμένη. Είναι 3-4 χρόνια μαζί, μικρές αλλαγές, πολύ καλή ομάδα".

Even though I'm the first to criticize the decisions coaches make at some point we need to be realistic and say if this doesn't work out this time we need to be honest and lay the blame on our players and lack of talent or care. We have gone through now 5 coaches I believe. For me this will come down to our players and the lack of playing time or the lack of conditioning or in plain black and white that they just are not good enough. I also believe if we fail to make it to the Euros we need to clean house and rebuild this team with all younger players. Other then Manolas and Socratis are our other players good enough? I mean fortounis does s%$#! for the NT and I think he is overrated, We have no high caliber midfielder in all of Greece ffs. This to me will dictate for sure if the dark ages are back as its getting closer to becoming a reality. Even though I will continue to bitch about coaching decisions that I don't agree with for me its now on the players no more blaming the coaches for not qualifying as I mentioned its time to look at our players.

The Lamprou not being called up is a mystery to me.. if you go down the list of call ups he deserve a call up over the majority of our guys.. Not sure what the thought process was behind not calling him up..

The problem right now guys we only have 3 or 4 guys at best which we consider our best players and garunteed starters and the rest are interchangeable as they have not cut it and have not produced and finding the right pieces to fit in with our best players has been a huge challenge.. This is the reason our team looks lost and doesn’t mesh together. No one has been able to step up and take a starting spot.. as far as injuries goes we are always injured this is nothing new for us as we never have a full line up.. other then Manolas tho the rest are not garunteed starters besides Toro and he’s getting up there as well..

I agree that you can’t overlook anyone and you need to take each team serious but In such a short qualifier this is not a “marathon” and one loss can make or break your tournament.. remember it’s a tournament not a season.. If we lose to Bosnia that can very well determine our fate.. You have no time to slip up in these short tournaments that’s why getting off to a strong start can make all the difference in the world..