Akritis_1944

Bosnia will be lucky to get through the playoff in my opinion and Belgium is good but not exactly the best team going around despite what FIFA rank them. Qualification is in our hands but we have to wait to see who gets the coaching position and see what the friendly matches show.

A bit annoying to triple post. My apologies. Mods can delete.

I like how we ruined Hungary's direct qualification. They are rubbish quality team who couldn't beat a Greece who barely tried. Hungary won't get through the playoff. Don't even care who they play off against.

Outside of Belgium we will be the firm favourite for WC qualifying. Belgium won't cruise and Bosnians might make jokes at our expense but they know we are better than them. I fear Cyprus though, who will play like lions against us and can teach us what the definition of pride is.

Nikopolidis has never shown himself to have a high football IQ as a player and he doesn't have strong experience as a coach/manager so the decision to make him the coach of potential future players is typical of the bone headed EPO and their bizarre decisions. Portugal is probably the best at this level but we got demolished.

Kopa Amerika! Intertoto! Very funny. These guys nailed it. I like how Claudio Ranieri "liked" it too.

Don't shoot the messenger. Contra.gr has the story from Serbian site (b92.net) who claim that sources in Albania claim that the Armenian GK and 3 defenders were paid off.

I bet you it was Kone but he got the winner so he's excused.

Yeah the next guy. Basically given the bad climate amongst the squad and the psychological aspect even the media is calling for the next guy to be stern and a disciplinarian. A Magath type with Tsanas as his eyes and ears.

The standard of the league is a concern but its nit Asteras' fault. Asteras (yes I'm biased) have earnt their place in the GSL and Europe and are a force in Greece. Tell Besiktas and Partizan Belgrade what they think of Asteras. This year the club has a shocking injury crisis yet they are still competitive. They also have Greek players that are improving. Giannou, Fountas and Kourbelis are on the periphery of the Ethniki and are not far off from being selected. They don't need to be playing for a 1990s Era Big 3 club to prove that they are good enough. The fact that that they come from a small town is a strength to the GSL. Do we need 10 clubs from Athens? Akratitos, Apollon Athinon, Athinaikos, Panionios, Egaleo, Kalithea, Thrasyvoulos etc only ever make up the numbers. They aren't improving the standard for which you are continually jumping up about. Historical clubs like AEK returning are helping the standard of the league. It's only a matter of time before ARIS and Larissa and potentially OFI get themselves sorted and return however there is a place for Xanthi and Asteras. If they are getting results then their place in the league is justified. So it's a mute point. Stop banging on about it.

I never said that our results and performance were acceptable. This campaign has been the worst in many many decades. Losing to the Faroe Islands is totally unacceptable for professional players. What the true story is I am not sure but it's not down to the quality of the playing group. We have starters at Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Roma and other Serie A teams as well as players making a difference in the GSL and they can't beat part time fisherman?

True. If I was Albanian I wouldn't be gloating. They beat Portugal in the first match and all of a sudden they think they are world beaters.

Eh yeah no.

I think Original Sydney is also right. Serbia forfeited the match 0-3 and had 3 points deducted while Albania got 3 points after the CAS verdict which means that Albania would have finished 1 point behind Denmark in third and thus no automatic qualification and no guarantee of progressing.

Decades might be pushing it. At least since after the 1994 WC.

The truth is that the goals conceded were amateurish stuff. This defensive reputation which has we've trashed in 12 months has to be worked on and improved. Our defenders are just as good as any in Europe but they need direction and help from the midfield. The goals we've conceded these last 2 matches against Hungary and NI were diabolical. The positive thing is we will tighten up. We can't give these gifts to Belgium. They'll tear us apart.

We have the best group of players in decades. With the right manager this group will top the WC qualifying group. Question is does EPO employ the right man?

Red Sheriff, yes Cyprus is punching above their weight given they are still in contention to qualify so are Hungary, NI and a few other teams. These results are an anomaly as are the dubious performances Greek players have been putting in. They can turn this around. Pride will eventually slap them in to seriousness. Sokratis, Manolas, Samaris and more than a dozen other players are able to mix it with Europe's best but they are doormats for Finland and FI but Cyprus who are exactly the team which has struggled for 50 years beats Bosnia but Greece can't beat then according to some here. It's all so loopy. Hurry up and get this 0-0 done with Hungary so we can at least hope that WC qualifying isn't such a farce.

The players and a confident and steely coach are capable of turning this around for WC qualifying. The group outside of Belgium are average. Yes, I know the same can be said of this current group but it's obvious that the players and the various enablers (EPO/Kara/technical staff) are not willing to perform. The players are responsible for this catastrophe though. It's not ability, but psychological and team chemistry. Possibly the best team we've ever had can't beat the Faroes and deadsh!t talent like NI, Hungary and Finland?! It's not playing ability that is certain. If UEFA weren't a dubious orfanisation I'd expect investigations in to these results. They are not logical. Whomever takes charge of the team might need to clear out the decks of alites to steer the ship. I'm not 100% convinced that players that nearly all of us respect might be responsible.

Michael Skibbe is a 50 yo German. Could be better than some of the names mentioned. What's he likes at motivating primmadonnas though?

Ela me mia leuki isopalia.

I'm not watching a replay of this match. I woke up and checked the score and I'm not obessesing about it. I am surprised to concede as many as 3 (and to score 1) but who cares. BTW Tsanas was also singled out for being a failure in a contra opinion piece but that will count for nothing as EPO aren't going to cut him loose.

Aek66 nails exactly what I feel and does such a good job I won't bother adding to his well articulated points aside to reiterate that the playing ability at disposal is good enough to turn this around given the right managerial appointment. The new team needs to be a psychologist though. F**k EPO as well.

The media seems to be pulling names out of a hat for the next coach. Felix Magath Thomas Schaaf Juande Ramos Paulo Bento Luis Fernandez Laszlo Bolloni These are just some of the names I've read.

Tsanas has the worst record of any coach in Greece's history. What a farce this who thing is.