Greekaroos

At 31 years of age Torosidis still has a lot to offer to the national team. Currently by far the best right back or right wing back Greece has available. Kitsiou & some of the other youngsters in this position have a lot improving to do before competing with Torosidis. I don't think Kitsiou would handle Serie A yet is a perfect example.

Last season all Benfica's home matches were shown on Foxtel's Super Sports channels in Australia but it doesn't look like they got it for season 2016/2017.

Kyriakos & Sokratis should be the central defenders at Liverpool FC.

Everyone still refuses to acknowledge the importance of the Maniatis & Samaris combination in the central midfield??? He returned to the national team against Australia after being out for a year due to injury & we once again don't allow teams to beat us by controlling the center of the park.

I like what I saw of Greece in the two friendly internationals in Australia. Greece seemed to play a much more aggressive, attacking game than that very casual, think I'm a superstar stuff we saw during Euro 2016 qualifying. Samaris always seems to play better along side Maniatis. He seems to take control of the midfield because Maniatis terrorizes the opposition midfield with his aggressive attitude & add the return of Kyriakos Papadopoulos our attacking players like Fortounis, Mitroglou etc will benefit.

Greece's Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign begins with a away match against FIFA's newest member Gibraltar on 6 September 2016 at the Estádio Algarve in Portugal.

Our Road to Russia 2018 begins with: Gibraltar v Greece 6 September 2016 Estádio Algarve (Portugal)

The reality is that Marinakis can't compete with the big clubs in European football. Olympiacos sold Torosidis, Mitroglou, Manolas Holebas, Samaris etc & buy players whom are good enough to play for Espanyol & from other weaker teams in Spain, Portugal etc... You buy players at that level expect to be as good as Espanyol playing the Champions League. The days of Kokalis buying Giovanni, Zahovic, Rivaldo etc are gone.

Didn't he play a similar great pass for Ioannis Amanatidis to score the winning goal in Konstandinoupoli against Turkey which also confirmed qualification for Euro 2008. Samaras lifted in the big matches against Russia at Euro 2012 & Ivory Coast at Brazil 2014 WC where Greece weren't given much of a chance by the world football media going into both matches needing a win to make it to the knockout stage.

------------------------------Karnezis-------------------------------- ------------Manolas-------Kyriakos--------Sokratis------------ Torosidis----------Maniatis----------Samaris--------Holebas -----------Karelis---------------------------------Fortounis------ -----------------------------Mitroglou------------------------------ Have many other good young or more experienced players whom could step in & do just as good or a better job. Team formation & selection will depend on the situation & opposition.

Santos had Greece for the UEFA 2012 & Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup campaigns which he Greece not only qualified for both tournaments but reached the knockout stage on both occasions without any super stars in the squad.

I think a lot of people don't understand that at senior international level where most of the time you have limited time with the squad it's more MANAGEMENT rather than COACHING. These are not kids whom you are going to show how to play. They are already professionals footballers & you have to find the best formula to make WHAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE a success. Yes you are working on formations & tactics but having the respect of the players & making them believe in you, trusting you & working together for the same aim is so underestimate of it's importance. When I see Santos with his players whether Portugal, Greece, PAOK or AEK I see a group working together, unity & the players wanting to give everything for him even if some players don't really like each other eg: Maniatis & Tzavellas once they get on the field they look after each other & I credit that to Santos. Cristiano Ronaldo looks like he would kill for Santos working together rather than being unapproachable.

I think the national team coach Michael Skibbe would of found a lot of positives from the long trip away in Australia for the two FIFA international friendly matches in Sydney & Melbourne against Australia. A long trip away is good for team morale & bonding. The boss can work on new playing systems or tactics. New players together with fringe players stepped in & impressed while some of Greece's star players like Mitroglou, Manolas, Fortounis, Karelis, Siovvas & Ninis stayed home to freshen up & shake off injuries. Some of Greece's senior players like Papastathopoulos, Samaris, Maniatis, Holebas & Torosidis were Greece's best players.

The road to Russia 2018 will look something like this: Netherlands v Greece: 1 Sep 2016 (Friendly) Gibraltar v Greece: 6 Sep 2016 (WCQ) Greece v Cyprus: 7 Oct 2016 (WCQ) Estonia v Greece: 10 Oct 2016 (WCQ) Greece v Bosnia & Herzegovina: 13 Nov 2016 (WCQ) Friendly in Feb 2016? Greece v Belgium : 25 Mar 2016 (WCQ) Friendly in Apr/May 2017? Bosnia & Herzegovina v Greece: 9 June 2017 (WCQ) Greece v Estonia: 1 Aug 2017 (WCQ) Greece v Belgium: 3 Sep 2017 (WCW) Cyprus v Greece: 7 Oct 2017 (WCQ) Greece v Gibraltar: 10 Oct 2017 (WCQ)

ausgreek, my understanding is that Russia was initially going to play FIFA international friendly matches against the odd team from Greece's group that isn't playing a qualifier during every FIFA international date as it's one of the only two groups with five teams & not six. As Russia is the host they don't need to qualify & won't be included in the group but just a way to keep them active. Greece was due to play Russia away on 6 Sep 2016 & at home on 10 Oct 2017. Since then Kosovo & Gibraltar have been given FIFA membership & one will join the two groups with five teams. Kosovo was initially put into Greece's group but was later changed to Gibraltar because Greece & Cyprus still don't recognize Kosovo as a independent nations. I think Gibraltar will just replace Russia on the dates they had organized.

Greece not qualifying for the UEFA Euro 2016 finals tournament in France could work in their favor in qualification for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup. The players get a proper off-season break. Complacency will not creep into the squad after being brought back down to earth in Euro 2016 qualifying.

If tonight's match at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney goes ahead, I am predicting a 1-1 draw. Holebas & Torosidis will be dangerous on the flanks but Diamantakos to score for Greece & Cahill for Australia.

Probably cut the squad to 23 before they fly out the Sydney. http://www.socceroos.com.au/article/greece-name-squad-for-caltex-socceroos-friendlies/hzgv25vzfgmb1x3l6kjspln9e

As Akritis 1944 said having his confidence back is important for all these Greek footballers, especially the attacking midfielder playmakers which Greece lack because other than Kostas Fortounis, at Olympiacos most Greek Super League teams have foreigners playing in that playmaker roll. How funny will it be to see Greece beat Belgium due to our players getting their confidence back with regular game time in the Belgian Jupiler League.

Clearly the aspects of his game that stands out is getting into goal scoring areas, knowing how to find the back of the net & just seems to have hunger for goals. His record at international level isn't too bad also considering it took him quiet a while before he scored his first goal. He currently is Greece's 3rd top all time goal scorer with 24 goals in 78 caps which many were a few minutes of the bench.

Athanasios Papazoglou scores ones again for KV Kortrijk while his team mate & fellow Greek Michalis Sifakis kept a clean sheet in KV Kortrijk's 5-0 win over Waasland-Beveren in Belgium's Jupiler League UEFA Europa League play off match overnight. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zOrvH42_I5g

Here's Sotiris Ninis goal from the penalty spot for Royal Charleroi S.C. against KV Mechelen in overnight Belgian Jupiler League action. Ninis goal was the opening goal of match won 4-0 by Royal Charleroi S.C. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd8v55Bsh24

Here's just one of three goals scored by 35 year old veteran Greek striker Theofanis Gekas in FC Sion's 3-1 win over FC Lugano in overnight Swiss Super League action. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2NsBlx70HRI

The eight minutes of game time he got a couple of weeks ago must of overworked his body. The Fiorentina management & coaching staff should take better care of him & cut his game time to a maximum four minutes in his 2nd appearance with the club.

Nothing made sense from day 1 of this loan deal between Kone & Fiorentina.