Bananas

Great work guys on episode 2.

Colak - whenever I see his name I think of the old TV show Colchak - The Night Stalker.

This beautiful piece of literature sums up it all better than any words. I can visualise the keyboard getting bashed. I wonder though what an alien civilisation will make of it while they attempt to decipher what it means.

Tricky game, but to be fair probably our best chance ever to qualify for CL. No Benfica or 020 this time around. The Russian League is into round 7 so they are match fit, unlike Besiktas and Benfica. For once it was the opposition and not us whose league started later and aren't match fit. Maybe something for the EPO and GSL to take note of, the stooges. Either way, even if we fall at the last hurdle (again) it's been nice to get some revenge on Benfica. That just leaves 020, or any Dutch team for that matter.

Regardless of what people think Giannoulis is worth or what they'd be satisfied with a sale amount, I'd prefer we don't sell him at all. I just don't think he's easily replaceable. Also, the level of his improvement in the last 24 months, and especially in the last 12 months has been simply astonishing. Knowing our club though, we'll probably sell him for peanuts, and do it before the Krasnodar game. Who knows it could go similar to the Limnios sale, extract below. FC Koln: Limnios good player. We buy. PAOK: Very well. 7 million. FC Koln: 3 million. PAOK: You crazy. The guy is only 22 and has matured so much in the last year. He is the FIRST guy on the team sheet for the National Team. FC Koln: 3 million. PAOK: OK. 6 million. FC Koln: 3 million. PAOK: OK. 5 million, but that's my last offer. FC Koln: 3 million and we'll throw in a poster of Wilhem II. PAOK: Deal, but can we do it after the Benfica game. Our regular RB is having interpersonal problems with the manager and our backup RB is injured. We have a up-coming young kid but the manager doesn't rate him. FC Koln: No. We want him now. PAOK: OK. Would you like me to drop my pants now or later. FC Koln: First I give you poster of Otto von Bismarck, then drop pants. PAOK: Thank you, thank you. FC Koln: If Limnios is so important to you, why did you not renew/extend his contract. PAOK: Who ? (hands Limnios his luggage and shoves him out the door).

What's that ? Sorry, need to put the volume up, gimme a minute. Maybe a sojourn in Hollywood might help.

I think we should replace them both with voice actors.

Think of where Limnios was as a player two years ago, then one year and then today. He’s improved immensely. Exactly what you want from your younger players. Other than him only Giannoulis has done the same. It drives me crazy how we are so eager to sell our youth that are still improving so cheap. Take Pelkas as a counter example. He has improved but kind of flat lined that last 18 months or so. I think he’s hit his ceiling although I’ll be happy to proven wrong. Either way, I feel we’ve let him go to cheap. Worse even, the timing just before a CL qualifier. Everything about this says bitch club to the rest of the world. As for his inconsistency, we could have Messi at PAOK and we’d find a way to criticise him. Anyway what’s done is done. Let’s sell Giannoulis for 3 million also so the club can cash in and then we can complain about how we don’t produce and players.

No Limnios in the squad. Yep, let's not give ourselves our best chance of winning. While we're at it, let's sell a player who is 22 years of age and is currently the most in form player in the NT for a measly 3 million. No lube thanks, I like it dry. I wonder what Olympiacos would've sold him for - not that we should or can match them - just curious.

Any idea of the cost of AEK's stadium ? I remember reading a while back around 50 million.

Just to clarify with PAOK TV, are the games only shown live or can they be streamed at any time ?

A friend of mine who is a Panathinaikos supporter made an interesting point. I was telling during the season that Ferreira is all over the place and my friend said it's not his team - it's still Lucescu's team even though he's left. Maybe this is what it's all about.

No buy out clause for Tzolis. What is the world coming to.

That team ... with Ginola, Asprilla, Beardsley, great squad.

I have always rated Stafylidis. But right now he shouldn't be anywhere near the pitch. If you're not playing in your club team, how can you be expected to perform in the NT games. I don't buy the argument of because he's captain he has to be selected. There are plenty of other players capable of wearing the arm-band. Just hand it over to them and let Staf know he needs to start playing club football if he wants to be playing in the NT.

Any chance this will put a stop to the Limnios transfer ? I can only hope. Now I just have to decide which of the gods of Olympus I should make a sacrifice to. Yes, I'm bitter we're selling him so cheap.

You made my day Athens. Ha ha, Platini.

I agree some of the selections don't seem to make sense. But what are we to do when we're speculating with incomplete information. All we can go by is how the team is playing. Even that is a bit hard to judge since the level of the teams in the Nations League is definitely lower. Either way, it is obvious the team morale is much better, and the team just seems happier. I would add to that I think the player in general are enjoying the new style of play compared to the old defense first approach. What we can deduce is that JVS has an attitude of out with the older veterans and he'll be using the Nations League to try out new players in preparation. Remember, the Nations League is essentially a replacement for friendly games, but now it's got an added attraction with promotion/relegation and the carrot of making tournaments. Vlachodimos I believe in the long run will be the GK for the NT. I think JVS is just seeing what some of the other players have to offer. Retsos it's too hard to say - he's been injured for a long time. Kourbelis and Zeca in the middle is not ideal except under circumstances where you want to lock a game down. Hopefully he can find a third option - and by that I don't include Samaris who I have never rated. As for the veterans who have been shown the door, I don't feel sorry for any of them. They had their chances - the only one who might make it back is Manolas. As to the overall quality gap, you may be right, I'm not denying it. All I know is the old boys just weren't cutting it anymore. Let's see what the next 12 months show us. I would expect nothing less than to win this group with ease and hopefully a few players are discovered that can be potential squad players. Where were Giannoulis and Limnios 18 months ago ? And now all of a sudden they are options. They aren't necessary, there are options for both. But it's nice to know they are available and capable.

What about Box, like from Logan's Run. Now I'm showing my nerdy side.

So guaranteed 8 million. Pfft, money isn’t everything, tell em to shove it I say. ?

Which players exactly is it that you want back in the team ? Is it just Manolas and Sokratis ? I don't understand why you can't accept these two players aren't being called up. We aren't there in the NT camp to know what went on behind the scenes. Maybe these guys are toxic and it affects the team. Or maybe they are ok, but JVS like many managers has an ego, and wanted any players that could undermine him removed. Or maybe JVS just doesn't want man marking CB's and considers them no good for the style he wants to play. It's all speculation. Maybe one day we'll get an answer.

The point with Limnios is he should've had his contract extended mid way through last season. How you can have a player who is 22, is beginning to cement his place in the team, and don't extend his contract I don't understand. Then again I'm still trying to work out why we have minimum fee clauses. Overall, most unimpressed with our back office dealings.

Maybe he's saying he should get kicked out and replaced with Manolas. Wouldn't that be funny.

3M for Limnios considering he's managed to make himself a first team player at PAOK and the National Team is way too cheap. I hope we don't sell him for such a small amount. Same goes for Giannoulis.

Well I guess if Siovas is dropped from the NT we'll know why, ha ha. Doesn't sound like the brightest spark - he could've worded it better. Siovas to Svarnas "You're not that good bro". But I guess Svarnas will probably decipher what he was trying to say, I don't think Siovas meant to be nasty.