athinaios
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Posts posted by athinaios
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Greece deserved to win this game. Karagounis & Lazaros showed that they should have been there since game 1. I.C. is not a good team. This is a weak group, and, yes, the Columbians are better but not an impressive team.
I like the Greeks opening it up and trying to win for once. Better game play.
Lack of conditioning, but it's probably the oldest team in Brazil. Good riddance to Santos.
A better Greek side could have tied the Columbians and definitely beat Japan, and this IC team.
What a finish.
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You're right, Omonoia. For all his past contributions and skill, Katsou doesn't have a good influence. The team played better after he left. I haven't followed him at PAOK, but from his PAO days, the team would perform better when he wasn't in the lineup. He should not have gone to Brazil. But, Santos, well, we've discussed this already....
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Bad game by 2 crappy teams. Sorry, but I can't believe the accolades in the Greek press (for the most part), that Greeks fought like 300 Spartans. I'd say maybe it was like 10 boys from Sparta at best. And, this wasn't against a good team. I expected the Japs to be much better, but they are not serious.
I've watched most of this WC games--very entertaining--but this one was probably the worst. This was amateur league. Yes, there have been teams with worse records and more goals allowed, but as a fan of the sport (and a supporter of the Greek team), nobody has played like this. They can't string 3-4 passes together. Plus, they argue with each other and they don't seem to know the movements of each other.
It's laughable that Santos said if it weren't for Katsou's red, Greece would have won! By the way, when you have your captain, a veteran committing such a stupid foul (he wasn't playing the ball, nor the foul was necessary), then he should have stayed home, along with Maniatis to continue their brawl there.
When there's no hope, people invent one. So, for a few days, we can tell ourselves that Greece has a chance. Yeah, crazy stuff happens in this sport--which is one of its beauties--but realistically, this team is the worst put together in any major tournament in the last 10 years.
I can't help but feel sad since this was perhaps the best opportunity for Greece to advance against Japan and IC. :xxx:
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I still think PAO was the better team. They got the most points. I'm not saying the first round shouldn't count, but if only the second round counted, PAO would have taken the title. This also shows how the team performed in the agregate, against all the other league teams, plus the cup competition. Against PAOK, I saw PAO as having better quality, much better.
One correction: PAO was the best team in the second half of the season (2013-14), not in all 2014, since half of the year is still to unfold.
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Who could have imagined it before the season began and even in the first round of the league.
This case also demonstrates that with the proper internal culture, good fan support, and most importantly cultivating young talent that really wants to give 100% is the best recipe for success. At least in countries like Greece.
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For the record, and a great win, PAO beats Oly 3-0 at Karaiskaki.
I think the result was fair even though gavroi had most of the ball possession but didn't really threaten. Cheap penalty by Koutroubis pushing an red player in the box when it wasn't even necessary. Immature reaction. He's young, hopefully he'll learn. But, gavros missed the PK.
I've seen so many matches between these two rival and I have to say this was entertaining for me. With a new roster, cheap players, this team showed great potential. Do you guys remember how the previous teams never ran as much? I'm impressed by the rerentless pressing by all greens (except Kapino).
No excuse that Oly was thinking of MU. They came to play in this derby and possessed the ball 60-40 (or better).
Anyway, great Berg plays, 1 assist and 1 goal.
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This is risky for Mitro since he goes to a bad team (in relative terms) and if he fails to save Fulham, then what?
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how much did Pao get?
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He may have money, but he's said wants the club debt-free so it can be rebuilt. AEK just asked to be relegated to Div3 (however they call it now). This way, in 2 years, can be back to Div.1, debt free and stronger.
Good luck. -
I don't think professional athletes have such rights. They surrender those rights as soon as they sign a contract, on the dotted line. Their actions and/or words are subject to the league's rules of conduct. At least that's the way it is in the US. Without being 100% certain, I suspect the same rules would apply to UEFA and FIFA.
Agree.
Katidis should be given a second chance. I also believe that moments like this should be ..teaching opportunities! The league and all those who have sense should condemn such behavior. And, connect this to the behavior of the fans who do and say worse things than raising a fascist salute. All those idiots in the stands who want to f@ck :xxx: the ..mothers, daughters, the Virgin Mary and the whole city of ________ (insert your own city here)! :nono:
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I also heard the AEK can be fined and even lose the game (3 valuable points) because of this.
Does the right to "free speech" exist in this case, an athletic event? This ignorant man (he's not a kid) should have the right to own beliefs no matter how stupid, vile they are. However, I don't think this is the venue to do it.
The sports scene in Greece is deplorable. I know we had long and hot conversations on this a few years back here. I said then that this sport should not be surrendered to animals or hooligans because it makes a good ..atmosphere. Fanaticism and violence, and diserspect don't belong in a sport much less in a society that wants to call itself civilized.
Have you heard what the organized fans of each team sing, yell at the refs, players, etc? {if I weren't afraid Lazarus would ban me for life from this, I'd repeat some of those expressions}
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I generally think 18 teams are better, but this doesn't mean the league will improve. It's a sham and it's been one for decades. Why can't they copy from the US leagues where the governing bodies, mistakes and everything, aren't dominated by 1-2 teams in the league. There is professionalism, standards, stability, and a more attractive product.
As for the number of the teams, England has 20, 3 cups, Euro play, national team, etc, and their players can cope. As I said in another thread, in the last 15 years only 1 team (Oly) and occasionally another (usually PAO) competed for the domestic title. This show how bad things are.
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Will happily do. I realize I spend too much time here, so I'll take a leave for a long while. If I come back, I'll see if anybody or the system recognizes me.
So long.. :whistle:
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Today, UEFA rejected Volos' appeal and their ban stands. Good. But, the team they beat twice is going through. I do understand that Greece's losing out, but what do you do at this late stage?
You can't send another Greek team past the one Volos played. Can they? If any of out teams lost, say to another team that was eventually thrown out, then we'd expect OUR team to be going through, not some other one....
I don't think they can replay this round with new teams. I more angry at the Greek side (EPO, etc) that they're f@ked up.
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I've suggested it before, if a team is caught cheating, it should be removed as if it didn't exist. The team that's a runner up should take its place. PLUS, all the money the cheaters made, say, by playing in the Europa league.
Point-wise, it doesn't matter how many teams you've got in Europe for UEFA's standings, but the progress. In other words, it's better to have 1 team that goes to the semis, instead of 6 that don't make the first round. Points are divided by the number of teams from a particular country.
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I thought Volos was relegated and that UEAFA would kick them out. This is weird. If a team was caught cheating (yes, the owner, etc) that gave it an advantage over other teams, then why is it allowed to continue? It now has financial benefits from playing in europe. no?
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I read that UEFA threw out Volos and is waiting for EPO to declare another team. Also, that Oly is 50-50 to play in the CL next season!
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I think the most important person is Zeljko O. He's built this team. Of course, the owners have provided not only the money but also a professional model of a modern & successful sports team. I'm sure that PAO doesn't have the highest budget, but this proves that money isn't the most important element of success.
When I think that this team, from this small country, is arguably the best/most successful Euro team in the last couple decades I have to pinch myself that I'm not dreaming.Wow!
How rare it is to be in a position to say (and feel) that no matter what the team does in the next many years, I won't have any complaints. I loved the reaction of our fans that welcomed the team "home" after it lost the cup to gavroi! What a terrific feeling :)
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Just for the record, PAO won the series 3-1. Great 4th game at OAKA June 5th, and PAO beats gavroi in OT for the 9th consecutive and 32nd championship title.
I think this season was the most successful for PAO. Obviously winning the first euro championship was huge (the first Greek team to do so) but this past season no one believed PAO could do well in Europe and many thought Oly, finally, would break PAO's dominance.
Congrats. This team and the way is run should be an example to be followed by others in Greece.
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Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
WE GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Number 6....
PANATHA--the most successful team in basketballs and football..... 6 euro trophies in 15 years!!!!!!!
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4 points.... 20 secs :unsure:
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Dimitris Diamantidis is taking care of this ..... Great pass to Batiste for score and then steals the ball and wins the foul...
Wow!!! MVP
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big mistake by PAO, couldnt inbound the ball, then Maccabi scores.... Down to 5 points with PAO having the ball now....
Geesh...
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up by 7 with 1.3 min to play... Nail biter now....
Greece - Ivory Coast
in Greek National Teams
Posted
They have nothing to lose now, but my biggest concern is Santos. He should field the same team, minus Gekas, Maniatis, Salpi, and of course Katsou. Mitro should sit out too. I thought that Karagounis worked well with and without the ball. He gave 100% in his last 2 matches. I think Lazaros embarassed Santos. Same with most of the players,
When Greece must win, because otherwise are eliminated, they play muich, much better. But when Santos stupid calculations enter, it's horrible. Plus, he is no tactician, can't do good subs, and he favors certain players regardless of their contributions. The team is better without Katsou. If he plays him against CR I'm gonna smash something.
Good job Greece today! Very deservingly beat IC. I admit I expected much more from IC but these guys have no "football IQ" (as bb&w put it). It was so ridiculous that they left so much space for the Greeks after they scored the equalizer. Some of their players were ..walking back to defend (?)!!!
Anyway, CR finished first in their groupd for a good reason. But at this point it's a knockout stage and let's see what happens. Again, I think Greece should not park a bus in the back. They should try to have good possession and threaten up front. Defending all the time requires much more effort. I doubt the Greeks are very well conditioned.
Good luck!