Leaderboard

Interesting development https://www.sport-fm.gr/article/podosfairo/ethniki-pithanotata-tha-klithei-amesa-o-mpaldok/4301682

Alexandropoulos and now Nikolau, along with Siopis are interesting additions. The future of the midfield is starting to show some shoots. CDM's aplenty there. Another CM or two (like Galanopoulos) would be great to have come through. The Gaffer can call for Vasiliadis as a starting point.

There’s no harm in calling up players like Fortounis and Tzolis. At least start them on the bench and bring them on. We’ve called up worse players in the past and have put them on the bench or even worse started them. Greece needs to play its best players possible. We are not Spain, Italy or Germany where we can get away with leaving out some of our best players. It’s not just 3 spots. It’s more than that. Kourbelis, Bouchalakis, Bakasetas, Rota, Tzavellas are not needed and have failed the team. Rota ok hasn’t been so bad but we have better. We don’t need 4 keepers also. 2-3 would be better. Players like Goutas, Papanikolaou are ok and have played every week but we can definitely do better than those players too. There’s a handful of players playing in better leagues that didn’t get picked like Vasiliadis, Kyriakopoulos, Nikolaou, Lykogiannis. Ok Tsimikas and Giannoulis are our best LBs but Nikolaou should be ahead of Tzavellas and Vasiliadis ahead of Papanikolaou and Kourbelis. Also even players who do deserve to be there like Pavlidis haven’t done well for Greece. So should he be given another chance again to start, I don’t think so. Only Tsimikas and Mavropanos who play at the highest level and play mostly well for Greece deserve to start because they do well for both club and country. Vlachodimos too. The rest are either not good enough for Greece and have been given loads of chances or haven’t been given proper chances like Alexandropoulos or Fountas who can give something better to the team. You need to change things around instead of going back to the same old failed things. We wasted the friendlies on the same players. We now have no choice but to see the same failed players again in more crucial matches like nations league where getting first is a must and is another chance of qualifying for a major tournament. The team is run by crooks and there is no integrity when it comes to the national team.

You’re right. But Tsimikas is arguably on the best team in the world while tzolis can’t play for a team that’s terrible.

Great post! Who knows what Poyet is thinking. I thought Manolas was going to be called up for the NL matches? He better top this group!

Objectively - Tzolis hasn't played in months for a relegation bound team who has nothing to play for. Not saying he is not talented, but you are responsible for your choices. Fortounis has only played a few minutes for OLY since his return, can you trust a roster spot to him? Manolas has barely played since December. So OLY pays all this money (for Greek soccer, it was significant) and doesn't play him or maybe he is hurt. I am not saying these players shouldn't be playing, what I am saying is I understand why they weren't called up. From the 25 players selected, I guarantee you most of us would agree on 22 spots. We are talking about three spots and we say his selections stink? You have to give the new coach a chance. With JVS it wasn't so much his player selection, it was his insistence on using Bakasetas and his substitutions.

I’ve seen Tzolis play some games in the EPL when he’s been given a chance and he didn’t put a foot wrong. He played nice passes and got into goal scoring situations and gave his teammates good opportunities to score. He also tracked back a lot too. It’s not his fault. Norwich are just crap. We got a player like Tzolis who is still young and full of potential and really is a rare player to have for Greece. In my opinion he’s our best winger/attacker. Just like Alexandropoulos is our best CM in my opinion. Fortounis on his day is our best CAM. I agree with @J1078 Fortounis is still our best CAM even at 70%. The call ups are all wrong. This is the same team that JVS picked. They are choosing the same failed players again. Nothing will change. We have Nikolaou who is always playing in the Serie A but they rather go with Tzavellas who is not even wanted at his club. Vasiliadis plays Bundesliga every week but never gets a chance. Manolas and Siovas are ignored again. They are not picking the best players…

Donis, Tzolis and Vrousai have been underwhelming at Ethniki level.

Tzolis is just 20. Has enormous potential, but the reality is when given the chances at Norwich, his performances weren't good enough. He needs to be managed well, and in hindsight would have been better to go a different league where he could get more playing time, and develop his game. But when PL comes knocking, and the signing fee is lucrative for a 19 y.o., it's a life changing opportunity and you can't say No. Saying that, we don't know what is going behind the scenes, if he's happy or not. Probably not, as he is not getting much opportunity to play with a club that's relegated. I am certain, that Norwich believed they had a gem and that the price they were picking him up for was a bargain. If you look at Liverpool, they bought Tzimikas for a similar price (I think it was a bit more, 12-13k) and he has been there for nearly 2 years, and while not a regualr starter, getting more game time now, he's defenitely improved, definitely happy and enjoying his time at Liverpool, and I would say his market value has gone up, or is expected to go up over the summer break.

Fortounis has the vision to carve up opposing defences unlike no other player at our disposal. We are not going to see Bakasetas giving nice through balls to our strikers that’s for sure. Also no Tzolis? We saw his quality when he came on in the wcup qualifier vs Sweden and gave them fits and Greece won 2-1. He hasn’t been playing at Norwich but the coaches Farke and Dean Smith don’t know wtf they were doing and I’m glad to see them get relegated.

Honestly I was hoping with a new coaching change we would have seen Manolas or at least Siovas back along with Fortounis who can create space and open up defences. Even if he’s at 70% ready he’s still our best option. For me I don’t think we will see much of a difference with this team that we seen in the past.. I hope I’m wrong but I see they same thing playing over and over again with this team.

I just hope now that they’re relegated he gets to play in the championship and show what he’s got

I’ve watched a lot of the English league for years. Although you could be right, I would assume he has to earn his playing time. If he was good enough, the owner would have been putting pressure on the coach to play him considering he spent all this money on him. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see this kid cutting it in the best league in the world.

That’s not fair to Tziolis. He played in one cup game before he got hurt and scored a brace and had a few assists. Not saying he is the Greek Messi but it’s pretty obvious he wasn’t given a fair shot at Norwich. They give him 2 min cameos at the end of matches, maybe it’s his attitude in training but there is no excuse you don’t play ur young kid when ur already relegated to at least see what you have in him.

Not too many changes from what we've seen in the past. Interesting that Kourbelis, Papanikolaou and Fountas have come into the squad. Don't know much about Papanikolaou but I think he plays in a DM / CM position for Rakow who are 2nd in the Polish league and just won the cup. That's good. We need these type of players.

Ya I don’t get not calling up Tzolis & Fortounis especially vs N Ireland who like to sit back. It will be tough breaking them down. Even Italy had a tough time with them in the final wcup qualifier which ended 0-0.

Tzolis has been stealing money from Norwich all year. He doesn’t deserve to be called up. Paok absolutely robbed Norwich. Will he be good one day? Maybe. I hope so. But right now he’s terrible. He can’t even get on the field on the worst team. As for the call ups, if they can’t beat these teams even with their 3 rd stringers then there’s a problem. No excuse about call ups. That excuse has been used for 10 years. Turn the page.

Disappointing call ups once again. What’s the point of following the team if your going to get the same standard crap… No Tzolis and Fortounis means we will have no creativity in the midfield and the attack again. Only positive for me is the inclusion of Fountas as he should start but I feel like he won’t see much game time if any. I guess Manolas, Siovas and Sokratis are no longer part of the plans so unfortunately that means we see more of Tzavellas.

No Lyratzis is upsetting. Other than that and the obvious Manolas/Siovas omission, pretty standard stuff.

More Greek goal scorers in Euro leagues this week than what the entire NT had during last WC qualifiers. Giakoumakis 2, Pavlidis 2, Limnios 2, Douvikas, Emanoulidis, Tsimikas

Still miles ahead of what we got tho.

He’s already 25 not a whole lot of upside there. Just steady.