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Tsaousis loaned out, a shame. I thought he started really well last season until he got that nasty injury. Koulierakis, the kid is 19 and he plays like someone who has been playing senior football for many seasons. He is the "prototype" of exactly what you want your academy to produce. And to sell him for 5 million ... good lord. Even 10 is too cheap. 20+ minimum.

Does PAOK actually produce P&L statements? It would be interesting to see. I'd be surprised if Savvidis isn't tens of millions in the red in his "investment" in PAOK. I think others forget before Savvidis our wages to players were *much* lower and even those measly amounts were often not paid in full. Players leaving the club unpaid and often we'd underpay them just so they could leave. Fire sales. A back office that was for the most part more a kafeneio than a modern professional club. Debts, lots of debts. Short term memory loss maybe. What was I talking about? If Savvidis were to leave and we went back to the old ways, the Athenians would *REJOICE*. As would sadly, a bunch of "PAOK" fans. It's ok to be frustrated at our lack of improvements since the title win. But to want to return to the old days ... insanity. In the meantime, I am trying to tee up a zoom meeting with Mitsotakis and PAOKSYD. Proving to be a bit harder than I thought.

First leg is in Edinburgh on August 24. Return leg at Toumba on August 31. I think Hajduk was a much tougher team than Hearts will be. If we don't shoot ourselves in the foot we should be able to make the group stage.

No chance Lucescu gets cute with the formations. Perhaps he calls up a midfielder from the B team for depth, but I am sure we'll see Ozdoev there with Schwab (and considering our little Russkie played today, we'll be seeing a lot of yellows). Terrible luck if Tsiggaras is that hurt. Hopefully Rafa Soares' confidence hasn't been shattered, as well. We SHOULD be able to beat Hearts (god I love repeating myself), but as usual our biggest enemy will be ourselves. So, uh, anyone know what the best way to get tickets to an away game is?

Hearts it is. Nice trip for @DunfermlineAthleticPAOK ahead!

Hearts of Midlothian it is. They defeted Rosenborg 3:1. Bad news following the game is that Tsiggaras left the game most likely due to broken rib. Also Soares will undergo an MRI tomorrow to see how serious his injury is. We might be left with only Schwab and Ozdoev as midfielders for the next few games. Baba also out of the next European game due to cards.

Hearts score 2-1 so all levelled (3-3) atm

Pretty pleased with how this went. Like I said last week - if Hajduk were going to slap us around, it would have been in their home game. I think the stats here were misleading; half of Hajduk's shots were lobs straight at Kotarski. I don't think they were as much of a danger we feared. Very happy to see my two fav players score. Austria is known for their impressive leaders, right? *cough* In the other game - Aris is taking penalties vs the Ukranians. Second half of Rosenborg and Hearts about to begin as well.

I think this is a classic case of “be careful what you wish for.” Sure, PAOK have stagnated a bit the past few years and the news on Nea Toumba has been very slow, but PAOK are certainly in a better position with Ivan today than they were without him 10-15 years ago.

I knew of Ivan Savvidis at least 10 years before he was first linked to PAOK in 2006. Since 1995 he was the president of Greek Communities in Russia and represented those communities at the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, which had an advisory role to the Greek parliament. So he was known even in Greece since 1995. Perhaps that fact did not reach Australia yet. He made his billions way before he got involved with PAOK. The majority of his business holdings are in Russia and other countries as opposed to Greece, so most of his money was made outside of Greece.

My personal opinion is that PAOKSYD is not really a PAOK fan but a troll, but hey that's just me. I don't have a problem with Savvidis leaving and a new owner coming in but I don't see anyone queueing up to spend their billions or hundreds of millions to take over PAOK. And I don't think Mitsotakis will help either, ha ha.

Given our defence was the corner stone of our league title and given how leaky our defence has been the last couple of seasons I would take Siopis happily. He would provide good cover for the defence. Siopis, Maksimovic and a number 10 and all of a sudden your team is looking so much better. Still other issues in the squad but this would be a very good start.

Crazy upset win Panathinaikos outlasts Marseille in PKs to move on! AEK also managed to win their first leg 1-0. Rack them coefficients up boys!

So he’s good enough to start for the Ethniki and hold his own against France in the latest matchup but not good enough to play for PAOK? Got it

They were good for a 'B' team playing in Superleague 2. They will now get their chance to show if they can perform in a top level (for Greek standards) competitions. I predict not. Specially Oudraogo.

We don't need to do anything for Greece! We (and the gavs) are the only two clubs to score the points for Greece for years. Who benefits? Pana and the scums of AEX. Who gets a new stadium? Exactly, not us but the club that is not the same club as that one that was founded in 1924 and was even relegated to gamma ethniki. And the greens who were non existent for years in Europe. Whatever we do, we must do for ourselves. We want Athens4 and the Scotsman to get their ekdromes! Pame PAOK!