Is Zeca Good Enough For The Greek National Team?

[Argy 247]

8 hours ago, bkizoulis said:

So people on here prefer to have tziolis over a player thats atleast capable of helping our central midfield. He will bring us pace, hustle, ability to win the ball and most importantly cover at the CM spots where we are lacking. if he doesn't play well then we could simply not call him up. We have nothing to lose if we make him a greek citizen. He's been in greece since 2011 and gives it his all every single game for Panathinaikos while we have 100% greeks not give a damn and have no interest when things get bad or don't get  game time. Im all for zeca coming to the NT if thats what it takes to help us qualify.

 

No we don't want Tziolis. We want Samaris, Tachtsidis, KPap in DM role. Even Maniatis, Petsos. Zeca is probably on the level of the first three in that role, but its hard to make a case for him being clearly superior. On top of that, all three play for better clubs in better leagues. For those reasons alone, he has no spot on the team. Why employ a foreigner when we have players just as good at home? If however, he was leaps and bounds better and he wanted to play for Greece, although I wouldn't feel great about it, personally, at least he would greatly improve the team. The way things stand, though, no way. 

Edited October 7, 2016 by Argy

[PAOKSYD 124]

I dont want zeca in the national team due to the fact he isnt greek. 

 

History has shown that countries like germany, italy and america have no integrity and it doesnt interest me that they have naturalised foreigners our race has given birth to the world and for me hellenism is more important than a centre mid that runs quicker than maniatis. 

Lucas on the other hand has greek blood and i am all for it. 

If Zeca was born in Greece i would have no issue. 

[bkizoulis 23]

3 hours ago, PAOKSYD said:

I dont want zeca in the national team due to the fact he isnt greek. 

 

History has shown that countries like germany, italy and america have no integrity and it doesnt interest me that they have naturalised foreigners our race has given birth to the world and for me hellenism is more important than a centre mid that runs quicker than maniatis. 

Lucas on the other hand has greek blood and i am all for it. 

If Zeca was born in Greece i would have no issue. 

America is a country made up of immigrants so you cant talk about the naturalized players with them. They have alot of german-americans since alot of US military is in germany. As for lucas, i find it funny that you think he is greek enough cause his great grandfather was greek. People on here are criticizing zeca that he wants to play for us cause he cant make it for portugual but at the same time lucas has played for the youth argentinean teams. Which shows he would rather prefer to play for them if he had the opportunity but since its hard to make it to that team like zeca, he is willing to pull the great grandfather card to be greek. To me great grandfather blood isnt close enough.

[Dean97 302]

I don't want Zeca in the team either. He is not Greek full stop. Kone is an exception because he knows the language and grew up in Greece his whole life. Holebas is half Greek and Ninis is full Greek. 

Also we should give Bouchalakis or Charisis a chance. 

[Reaper 0]

4 hours ago, bkizoulis said:

 To me great grandfather blood isnt close enough.

What is close enough for you?  Greek Grandfather? 

[Grkfreezer624 270]

I was asked to comment on this topic by a fellow poster...

 

In regards to the whole Zeca debate.... I think its nonsense....  

From a clear gaming perspective, I think Zeca would walk into the midfield rather seemlessly... the NT doesnt have players that can do the job he does... He's relentless... never tires... great defensively and offers some build up going forward .. He's an all around modern day footballer... He's a gem for any team to have and would elevate the pathetic NT midfield

But to be honest... the guy has no place on the NT... frankly b/c he's not Greek... the man is Portuguese and sure he has spent 6 years in Greece but his only tie to the country is playing for PAO... the poor guy barely knows Greek and has lived the Portuguese culture his entire life...  I think it's bogus that he doesn't get called up to the Portuguese NT but thats a diff story for a diff day

[Argy 247]

I'm glad to see some fellow posters who agree with only calling up Greek for the NT. International football is not for mercenaries. If that's the case, what is the point of the competition. Naturalizing players has amped up in the last 20 years, because the reach and exposure gained by playing in a Euro or WC can mean bigger dollars for players.

Greek pride is inexplicable and I know that everyone on this forum understands what I mean, no matter where you live, or grew up or whether you're full of half Greek. I want to know that every single player on the squad feels that at some level.

[Reaper 0]

Getting closer.

http://www.sport24.gr/football/omades/Panathinaikos/h-zeka-edeikse-oti-thelei-ellhnopoihsh.4317420.html

[Argy 247]

Really an unecessary move. Not good enough to take the job away from a Greek. We are one of the only remaining national teams with some degree of pedigree that have kept the squad true to the essence of international football. Every player on our current squad, and of those in the past, either has Greek blood or has grown up in Greece. Sad day. We will now have a Portuguese player in the Greece NT, and for what? Doesn`t sit well with me at all. 

Edited October 14, 2016 by Argy

[Reaper 0]

He is not actually Portuguese - but has a Portuguese passport as he was born there. He is Cape Verdian (Africa).

[Bananas 1,056]

What about this guy ?!  He doesn't look Greek to me.

 

[ausgreek 254]

There is a strong push to get him naturalized so whether we want pure breeds cough cough, or not, he may end up part of our Ethnik squad soon. To think they could of eventually naturalized Fornaroli and recently Bulut...

[Reaper 0]

Zeca playing now against Xanthi if anyone wants to see his abilities. 

Edit: Game finished. Zeca is exceptionally average. Xanthi actually had a midfielder called Vasilakakis who is the same age as Zeca - but a couple of inches taller than the Portuguese. Vasilakakis also scored the winning goal against PAO today.

 

 

Anyways seems the debate is already over.

 

Skibbe wants Zeca's passport issued as soon as possible

[jvc 796]

He would make the team only by default....The teams between 2002 and 2013 Zeca would never make it,  he's a terrible footballer.  That being said,  so is 60 percent of the NT.

[georgelaz 476]

are starting 11 is great footballers i dont know what you're talking about there there. if u saw my recommended lineup i posted u cant argue that they're not good footballers.

 

[GreekLunatic 87]

don't we have enough greek dm that are better then zeca. What is so special about zeca that would make this team better.

[Argy 247]

IMO, this is how the current Greek NT stacks up in terms of international football:

World Class: Sokratis, Manolas

Elite: Mitroglou

Very good with Elite potential: Fortounis, KPap

Very good but beginning to decline: Torosidis

Good/Average with potential to climb: Samaris, Mantalos, Karelis, Vellios, Tachtsidis, Oikonomou, Stafylidis, Vellios

Average/below average with limited potential: the rest

Where does Zeca fit in? I don`t think he`s in Torosidis class.  I would create a Good but reached pianacle for him. No place on our squad. 

Unfortunately, Skibbe does not take the integrity of our national team into account. This is something EPO should step in on. 

Edited October 18, 2016 by Argy

[Dean97 302]

I believe Samaris is in the elite group with Mitroglou. He has played far longer than Mitroglou at Benfica. He contributed in Benfica winning the championship last season. Also has been selected in the starting 11 since Karagounis and Katsouranis retired in the national team.

[Dean97 302]

The only reason why Feisa has been chosen over Samaris for Benfica the past few months is because the coach does not want him to rest on his laurels and play average. He wants him to improve further. I also believe Samaris is better than Feisa.

[ausgreek 254]

C'mon down Andreas, Sydney fc is awaiting...you will be captain.

[KOLOSSOS13 78]

Και τυπικά Ελληνας το 2017 ο Ζέκα!

Ο Κάρλος Ζέκα αναμένεται να αποκτήσει το ελληνικό διαβατήριο το αργότερο μέχρι τις αρχές του νέου έτους και να τεθεί άμεσα στη διάθεση του προπονητή της Εθνικής Ελλάδας, Μίκαελ Σκίμπε.

Το αργότερο μέχρι το ξεκίνημα του 2017 θα αποκτήσει το ελληνικό διαβατήριο ο Κάρλος Ζέκα. Ο αρχηγός του Παναθηναϊκού πέρασε επιτυχώς τα τεστ της Ειδικής Επιτροπής Πολιτογράφησης, που είναι το αρμόδιο τμήμα του Υπουργείου Εσωτερικών για την έκδοση ελληνικών διαβατηρίων, την περασμένη εβδομάδα, όταν ο Ζέκα κλήθηκε να δώσει συνέντευξη ενώπιον των μελών της επιτροπής, απαντώντας σε ερωτήσεις για τη γνώση της ελληνικής γλώσσας και σε θέματα που αφορούν στην ιστορία και τον πολιτισμό της χώρας μας.  

Πλέον απομένουν μόνο ορισμένα  γραφειοκρατικά ζητήματα που  θα «τρέξει» το Υπουργείο Εσωτερικών, ενώ θα ακολουθήσει η αλληλογραφία των ποδοσφαιρικών ομοσπονδιών της Πορτογαλίας και της Ελλάδας έτσι ώστε να πιστοποιηθεί και τυπικά ότι ο Ζέκα δεν έχει αγωνιστεί ποτέ με την Εθνική Πορτογαλίας. 

Κατόπιν προβλέπεται η κοινοποίηση του ζητήματος στις UEFA και FIFA προκειμένου να επισημοποιηθεί η ελληνοποίηση του παίκτη και όλες οι ενδείξεις συνηγορούν στο συμπέρασμα ότι ο Ζέκα θα έχει στα χέρια του το ελληνικό διαβατήριο το αργότερο μέχρι τις αρχές του νέου χρόνου.

[KOLOSSOS13 78]

I love it on so many levels 

[Reaper 0]

23 minutes ago, OlympicHellas said:

I hate this on so many levels.

On the plus - he will have much in common with the team - Zeca has exceptionally poor technique. How he is different is he runs for 90 minutes - however as every minnow team that beat Panathinaikos convincingly discover - running around in the midfield like a headless chicken doesn't always help your team..

[Andriotis 11]

This makes absolutely no sense. Is this a bad joke? 

[Reaper 0]

33 minutes ago, OlympicHellas said:

Honestly, i do not understand anybody falling over themselves to cap a mediocre player like Zeca, truly baffling

One plus about Zeca - he is constantly - and I mean constantly - in the referee's ear complaining. We haven't had a player like that since Karagounis. Zeca's most common pose on the pitch is this: