Suggested Call Ups, Starting 11

[Dean97]

If anyone has time they should see this.

Skibbe talks about how you must be playing for your club to get picked and so on. 

Also says he will try and add some new young players. 

In my opinion the reporters are not asking tougher questions. Like what happened with Holebas and why Fetfatzidis wasn't picked. 

A reporter asked that players like. Koutris, Bakakis and Siovas should have been called up because of the form they were in. 

[Boxou]

so skibbe is talking about playing time while he's the one who selects the players? what an idiot. 

also why would someone ask him about fetfatzidis? if anything, people should ask fetfatzidis why he's playing in the saudi arabian league. not even close to nt material. 

[Kama7]

Fetfatzidis and Holebas play and are the main cogs for their respective teams, based on that merit alone they should definitely be included or tried in the squad going forward. I understand people's concern about the saudi arabian but one will never know what they have in someone unless they try him out.... give him the chance he will surprise many!!!....Keeping Skibbe is a mistake and what he said reassures me that hes not fit for the job but guess we have no choice at this point.... so onward we go.... for better or worse!!!

 

[J1078]

We sit here and complain that our players are not inform and don't get regular playing time yet fetfa is not chosen of course he deserves a call up it's actually ridiculous that he's not called up. Skibbe wants inform players yet the most inform player of them all is Holebas but he choose NOT to play him for some mysterious reason that he only can explain. he is being a hypocrite as he is the one that chooses the line up..

[Boxou]

that's true, skibbe was constantly calling up vellios and diamantakos, while mitroglou and donis were already there like there's any need to have 4-5 strikers in the squad!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

i have said before since our wingers are not of high level we can play with full backs. that's the only way i can see us playing effectively instead of trying non natural wingers around.

 

[J1078]

Do you guys honestly think Skibbe is really going to change the way he calls up guys or even the way he gets his team to attack or even worse play players NOT in there natural positions? I'm very skeptical and unless I see it I wont believe what he is saying.

[Dean97]

3 hours ago, J1078 said:

Do you guys honestly think Skibbe is really going to change the way he calls up guys or even the way he gets his team to attack or even worse play players NOT in there natural positions? I'm very skeptical and unless I see it I wont believe what he is saying.

Same here. Skibbe better at least stop calling up Tziolis. I have never heard an explanation as to why Fetfatzidis was never picked. He has put on some weight, but it also looks like he has put on some muscle. This is good because he needs to strengthen his body, so that when he gets in challenges he can hold his own and keep the ball. 

[georgelaz]

skibbe's selections are not so bad when we everything is going correct. Ie his favourites are in form and no injuries.

his ideal lineup with no injuries

                Mitroglou

Staf       Fortounis   Donis

                Samaris Zeca

Tzav Sokratis Manolas Toro

             Karnezis

 

if we weren't plagued with injuries + out of forms it's a good lineup. It's when we got players out that he shits the bed.

BUT if you look at our left flank. You can't tell me Fetfa LW and Holebas LB wouldn't have been a class higher than tzav/staf.

That's really my only issue with his top game sheet.

His second team s%$#! is atrocious but also remember we are a top heavy team.

 

 

Edited December 3, 2017 by georgelaz

[Boxou]

What's going on with Fetfatzidis obsession? You people seem like still living in 2011. He is NOT a talent anymore. He's 27. And for the past 2 years he's been playing in Saudi Arabia. That says a lot. End of discussion.

[ausgreek]

How is Fetta's form though? If he is consistently playing well and starts regularly, that serves the Pirates better than say, Samaris playing once every three months for Benfica. Skibbe did say (even though I don't really believe him), players must play regularly to be picked in the NT.

Edited December 3, 2017 by ausgreek

[Boxou]

Samaris is usually the first sub for Benfica, if not starting. Better straight your facts before such claims.

[Boxou]

btw diamantakos is a bench warmer in one of the worst teams in gemrany's SECOND divisiobn, vellios last time played an official game was back IN AUGUST and that's not because of some injury, gianniotas is NOT  a difference maker in mid table spanish SECOND division side, tziolis plays in the WORST team in SAUDI ARABIA, maniatis and tzavellas play in a mid table TURKISH team. yet all of them make the squad no matter what. none of you should demand a place in the world cup with these BUSTS around. 

[Ellada2004]

20 hours ago, georgelaz said:

skibbe's selections are not so bad when we everything is going correct. Ie his favourites are in form and no injuries.

his ideal lineup with no injuries

                Mitroglou

Staf       Fortounis   Donis

                Samaris Zeca

Tzav Sokratis Manolas Toro

             Karnezis

 

if we weren't plagued with injuries + out of forms it's a good lineup. It's when we got players out that he shits the bed.

BUT if you look at our left flank. You can't tell me Fetfa LW and Holebas LB wouldn't have been a class higher than tzav/staf.

That's really my only issue with his top game sheet.

His second team s%$#! is atrocious but also remember we are a top heavy team.

 

 

Samaris should not be starting maybe coming in off the bench. Holebas brings a lot to the team we could have used him vs Croatia, to bad Skibbe didn't play him and he chose to retire from the Ethniki.

[La Mendel]

10 hours ago, Boxou said:

btw diamantakos is a bench warmer in one of the worst teams in gemrany's SECOND divisiobn, vellios last time played an official game was back IN AUGUST and that's not because of some injury, gianniotas is NOT  a difference maker in mid table spanish SECOND division side, tziolis plays in the WORST team in SAUDI ARABIA, maniatis and tzavellas play in a mid table TURKISH team. yet all of them make the squad no matter what. none of you should demand a place in the world cup with these BUSTS around. 

This is right, the World Cup qualification would have been a wonder with this group of players and we can add to the list Tachtsidis (does not start even in the Super League regularly), Samaris (didnt play for Benfica because of a suspension), Oikonomou (cant play for one of the lesser Italian teams), Bakasetas (he isnt a regular player for AEK), and occasionally Bouchalakis (his case is practically the same as that of Vellios), Siopis (loaned out by Olympiacos and being a "talent" at 23), Koutroubis & Kolovetsios (wholly laughable choices), Kapino (squeezed out by a 35-y-o Proto) etc. etc. And if we want to be honest, Mantalos and Christodoulopoulos are only slightly better than they. Karnezis, Stafylidis are useful players but they almost did not play this autumn (that is, before the Croatia playoff games) for their respective clubs. Torosidis struggled with injuries. Still I think Santos could have managed this qualification phase somehow, but it would have been a lesser wonder if we would have qualified with this pool of players. Skibbe made faults of course, but we shouldnt be unjustly hard with him. He cant call up Kroos, Casemiro and the likes for our midfield, and he did everything to secure Zeca (best defensive midfielder) and Villafanez. He did solve some of our difficulties.

[Makynia]

Actually Boxou Samaris has a total of 167 min in league play (4 appearances) and 106 min in champion's league play (2 appearances) for a total of 273 min total. Should not be starting for National Team especially not in a crucial game like we had vs Croatia.

Edited December 4, 2017 by Makynia

[Boxou]

No, let's better start tziolis and maniatis instead. I have said before Samaris was injured for quite a while I the beginning of the season and recently got suspended for 3 games. So it's natural for him to miss this amount of games. Just check your facts..

[ausgreek]

19 hours ago, Boxou said:

Samaris is usually the first sub for Benfica, if not starting. Better straight your facts before such claims.

He doesn't hardly start, so his 90 mins is non-existent Box!

[Dean97]

I personally think Samaris is our best defensive midfielder. He has been out of form lately but is still our best. Tachtsidis is more inconsistent. 

[Boxou]

finally someone sane. people here want samaris to be excluded from the squad. although their alternatives all worse than him. 

[Boxou]

kapino is done from olympiakos. that's good news because i want our players to play abroad. that said i hope fortounis, koutris, androutsos and tachtsidis leave this crap organization soon, i don't want them to be invlolved with greek club football. 

with anestis and kapino moving abroad on january/june we'll have some depth at this position, and karnezis is always there. i just hope we manage to cap vlachodimos soon, but with idiot skibbe i don't see it happening. he will be one more player like cholevas, siovas, mpakakis, koutris, kourmpelis, pelkas and lazaros that will be ignored for the fantastic 7- vellios, gianniotas, tzavellas, tziolis, maniatis, diamantakos, kolovetsios

[Dean97]

http://www.agonasport.com/agonasport-allnews/epic-vasilakakis-double-inspires-atromitos-fight-back-against-platanias

Have a look at these highlights. 

Gianniotis should be capped. Vasilakakis with 2 amazing goals. Also Atromitos have amazing young talent from the u20s. Limnios, Barkas, and Katranis came from there. Nastos, Kivrakidis, Bastakos and Giannoulis are good talents. 

[Dean97]

10 hours ago, Boxou said:

kapino is done from olympiakos. that's good news because i want our players to play abroad. that said i hope fortounis, koutris, androutsos and tachtsidis leave this crap organization soon, i don't want them to be invlolved with greek club football. 

with anestis and kapino moving abroad on january/june we'll have some depth at this position, and karnezis is always there. i just hope we manage to cap vlachodimos soon, but with idiot skibbe i don't see it happening. he will be one more player like cholevas, siovas, mpakakis, koutris, kourmpelis, pelkas and lazaros that will be ignored for the fantastic 7- vellios, gianniotas, tzavellas, tziolis, maniatis, diamantakos, kolovetsios

I understand where your coming from. But I don't understand why we can't call up players from second divisions if they are good enough. We all know Spain, Italy, France, Germany and England second division could be or probably is on the same level as the Greek League apart from the big 4.

Yes we should be calling up players that are playing consistently. Also we should be playing our most talented. We all know we have a depth problem on the wing and midfield. We can't afford in my opinion to be cutting out players because of the division there in. For example Vlachodimos who plays for Nimes has 13 games and 3 goals in the French second division. Limnios who has 7 games and 1 goal in the Greek League. Who deserves the call up? Probably Vlachodimos but because Limnios is young and has got time while Vlachodimos is in his peak at 26, I believe Limnios is more talented and will have a better career than Vlachodimos and plays in a better team like PAOK. Both have experience at Greece youth level. 

Then there is another debate of who is better between Mystakidis and Pelkas. 

Skibbe problem is he can't differentiate between other talents. If he did then Holebas would still be here and Fetfatzidis wouldnt be ignored. Also Tziolis wouldn't be starting, Kourbelis would. I know what your going to say about Fetfatzidis but come on we all know he should be in the team. You can't say he is not talented. I would like to look at other talent but most of them are either not ready yet and most of them can't cut it, that's why we see Stafylidis and Mantalos out of position. 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Dean97

[Boxou]

i don't care if he's talented. 

btw here's a fact. saudi arabia is considered as the worst world cup team, along with panama. and their players are most if not all, domestically based. that sums it up. 

and no he shouldn't be around in a team that aims to be in europe's top-20. nowhere around. id rather play with no wingers than busts like him and gianniotas who have a below average pro career. 

[Brklyngrk]

The national team should not be an academy.  That should be done at the local levels.  You first get a shot with your team then the national team calls you up, not the other way around. Some of the guys mentioned above have potential but we need to be realistic.  Having said that, I still think the young guys deserve more of a shot than someone than Vellios or Maniatis.

[pash]

People still talking about Fetfatzidis? I haven't mocked up the milk carton yet, but only because I heard there have been sightings in a far off land.

Regarding Limnios - no reason to call him up right this moment, as he is only 19. He is getting time with the youth squad now, which will serve him better than attending a few training sessions and then not even making the bench for our beloved STIPIKI. If he has another few good months at PAOK (where due to a few recent injuries he actually has a great opportunity to steal a position in the ενδεκάδα), then maybe Skibbe should pay more attention. After all, simply being "in your prime" shouldn't be reason enough to call someone up - if a young gun outperforms his more experienced competitors, that's a net gain for us.

For me, Skibbe said the right things during his interview from a few days ago ("players need to be playing"). Of course, there's the issue of who is actually making the call-ups...after all, it wouldn't be a Greek soccer site if people didn't repeat conspiracy theories, right?

Long story short, there is a team out there that can be put together and that will make us proud. Only questions are, will Skibbe be able to piece them together... and will they actually play to their potential? He said that he's very happy that friendlies won't be played anymore, as games will now mean something. That's all well and good, but if the games are all vital, will that mean that he won't try out new players at all now? This could backfire and see us calling up fewer guys with potential, not more.