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There’s no evidence to suggest that Manolas doesn’t want to play for the national team. JVS hasn’t picked him because he wanted to see other players. Now that his job is on the line a player like Manolas will be needed in these qualifiers. I agree we should be looking to replace Sokratis, Mitroglou and Samaris are all getting old and we need to find younger players for the future. They are in a different boat to Manolas. Svarnas, Lampropoulos, Tzavellas and Stafylidis won’t take us to the World Cup. We struggled to even come 1st in a easy nations league group. It won’t get easier against Spain or Sweden. Players like Bakasetas, Svarnas, Tzavellas, Lampropoulos, Kourbelis, Koulouris, Stafylidis, Bakakis and Mavrias aren’t going to take us into the World Cup in my opinion. These players are holding Greece back. We can easily find better replacements. Bakasetas seems to be doing well in Turkey but I don’t think he should be playing the 10 role for Greece. I haven’t been impressed. He’s slow, uncoordinated and very basic. Svarnas has done alright for Greece but something tells me he isn’t the answer to replace a player like Sokratis or take a spot from a player like Mavropanos. He’s isn’t international quality. Tzavellas should be no where near the team. I will leave it at that. Stafylidis isn’t a CB and hasn’t fully convinced me to be a starter. At LB we are stacked and he isn’t better than Tsimikas or Giannoulis. Bakakis and Mavrias. These guys will get destroyed at a World Cup let alone against Spain in a few weeks. These guys aren’t good enough to play RB for Greece and we urgently need to find the best possible replacement. Lampropoulos he’s 31 and very average. Kourbelis. I feel that he should be a CB. Isn’t creative enough and let’s us down in attacking phases. We need a better 6. I would replace him with Alexandropoulos for now. Koulouris has been picked even though he hasn’t played for like months. Very average footballer for me. Scored 20 goals for Atromitos but goes missing for Greece. I dont know what it is and he’s been given enough chances. I believe Douvikas or Ioannidis would be an upgrade over him. Pelkas is another player that can’t turn it up for Greece. I’ve just listed and explained the problems within our team. These players would love to play for Greece but they just don’t cut it. You can be very passionate or motivated to play but if you aren’t good enough, you aren’t good enough. To conclude, I don’t think there’s one Greek player that doesn’t want to play for the national team in my opinion. If a player doesn’t follow the rules and has a big ego or is being a smart ass in training then yeah I agree that these players shouldn’t be part of the team. That run in that Manolas and Sokratis had with the EPO was done for the right reasons. Right or wrong they want the best for the team and not themselves. They realised the importance they have on the team and used that to help the situation. I’m glad they did what they did, it shows that they truly care. I’d rather them do that than nothing at all. We needed someone to stand up against the EPO. The EPO seem not to care about the national team. These coaches the EPO have appointed the past few years have been appalling. We’ve missed out on signing very good coaches like Michel and Schuster. With JVS now I feel like there is some hope. He wants to play younger players and play more attacking and possession based football. That’s everything that most of us including myself wanted. Some selections are very questionable but now that he wants Manolas back in the team it’s giving me more hope because Manolas is definitely needed.

So it's win-win for me, then?

Blackhawks points are valid at the same time I agree that we need Manolas as he is a world class back and maybe the best Greek player on the roster. I think if he’s given a chance he will try very hard to shape up his attitude as this is a huge opportunity to help lead us to a World Cup and it may be the last chance he will ever get to play in another World Cup himsellf. Manolas will be much needed especially in the matches vs Sweden that will most likely decide who gets second spot and a playoff place.

Olympiakos will need a late magic to advance just like last year in London.

Arsenal isn't doing too well in the EPL, 11th in the league. I believe Olympiakos can advance into their first ever quarterfinal appearance in the UEFA Europa League (UEFA Cup).

Draw for the Round of 16 Olympiakos vs Arsenal. Let’s hope Olympiakos knock that over hyped English side out of Europe again!

Well said on many fronts. Initially I didn’t like how Sokratis attacked the coach on live media right after the Armenia game but looking at it now something had to be done after those two embarrassing loses to Italy & Armenia and what occurred leading up to those fixtures. Sokratis was directing his frustrations to the EPO who bring in sub par coaches after Rehagel & Santos. EPO can’t get the NT a stadium to call home they flip flop from OAKA to saying they will have the stadium in Crete rebuilt and nothing happens? They have to start putting the NT as there top priority. Greece have to be qualifying for World Cups & Euros this is the best exposure to be playing at these tournaments and the $ they will bring in is huge. JVS has been better but he can do far better still if he brings back Manolas and stops calling up guys like Tzavellas and if he brings Bakasetas in as a player who can come on in as a sub and he has to have Fortounis in the starting eleven. Then he will be taking big steps forward & maybe Greece can punch a ticket to the World Cup.

OLYMPIAKOS are through!!What a finish! I was jumping up and down when that goal went in..

What a play! Fortounis the cross, El Arabi the header stopped by Mvogo, and Hassan slides out to put the rebound past Mvogo!

HASSAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HASSAN SCORES!!!

I completely understand where you’re coming from I had felt the same way, but the reality is if we want to win we need our best players. I’m excited that Manolas will be back as he is by far a big name player for us. If he has a humble attitude and takes a leadership role then this could work out great, if he doesn’t and he starts causing problems then JVS can officially cut him. I do think he deserves an opportunity tho and it’s a huge boost for us.

Manolas/Papa were told they could be back. Ninis is still not that old. If they honor their commitment, I do not have a problem with them.

For sure Dean they are my favorite to watch! Its hard not to see them for months at a time, Enjoy the games! GO GREECE!