Bananas

I should add regarding Stoch, wages aside, I think if he came willingly to the club that he would do really well. When he came on loan, he knew he was there just for a short time and he also knew he was one of the better players in the league which meant he kind of slacked off. With the addition of more attacking players in the squad he won't be guaranteed a starting position if his level drops off. If he could stay motivated and deliver his A-game most weeks, I'm sure he'll be a very regular starter.

What's happening with Cimirot ?

Must have been a slow day for the media. He was definitely flat footed on the Veroia corner.

I'd be happy to have in the squad, but he would have to take a massive wage drop. His wages at Fenerbahce are astronomical by PAOK standards. From wikipedia, assuming it's correct ... Fenerbah?e gave Stoch a two-year contract extension in 2012. Stoch is contracted to the club until 2015?16, making ?1.75 million and ?15000 per match in 2012?13. He will earn ?1.75 million in addition to ?16000 per game in 2013?14, ?1.8 million plus ?16000 per match in 2014?15 and ?1.9 million as well as ?17000 per game in 2015?16.

As the posters above have stated, the A-League is inferior to the GSL by a decent margin. No real comparison. However, in terms of pitch quality and general TV coverage, it's light years ahead of the GSL.

Exactamundo. I want to start seeing a team, as opposed to a bunch of individuals. And to do that, you need players that listen, are willing to learn and willing to adapt. Vendettas don't want that.

Doxa, all the players you mentioned fall into one of two categories. Sincere but injury plagued and generally past it, or vendettas that play when they have kefia. Players like Stoch I don't want near the club. I would hate to play with a guy like that on the field, where you don't know what you'll get from week to week. PAOK has tried the "bam signings" model ad nauseam over the last 3 seasons. It doesn't work. I'm over it. Seeing over payed kreata that can't or won't play. If the situation was reversed with Olympiakos, and our budget was 4x every other clubs budget, yes, it would work. But as it is, it won't. You guys keep asking for "bam" signings. They don't exist. I'm happy for the moment to try something different. If Arnesen's approach fails, well, I'll worry about that later. How long should I wait before judging him ? If the team fails, is it his fault or the players fault, or the managers fault, or the referees fault, or Marinakis fault ?

Ever the optimist. With all your knowledge of matters football, I will recommend that Arnesen consult with you before making any transfers.

Well, this transfer period started off really slowly for us, but it's ramped up in the last week. Overall, I'm happy with our transfers ... even though we're yet to see any of them play except for Olsen. My only criticism of Arnesen, if you could call it that, was his claim that he would be looking for "top shelf" players. I don't think this was ever realistic. A top shelf player isn't coming to PAOK. Maybe one day, but not today. As for his other criteria for player transfers, that they be young and hungry, the transfers are consistent with that. I've said before on this forum that we are better off getting young players for whom coming to PAOK is a big deal, a promotion or step up in a sense. They have everything to prove. Older proven players from better leagues is nice in theory, but as we've seen it's far from guaranteed that they will perform and it's a step down for them. Maybe the drive just isn't there to succeed. I'm not saying it can't work, but in general, most of our transfers should be players at a good age with hunger to succeed. Olsen has started off shaky but let's give him some time and we'll see what he's capable of. As for the rest, I am hopeful they will help add some depth to the team and especially the midfield. It will be good if we can also sign Cimirot for depth (in addition to Sabo). A trio of Kace, Sabo and Cimirot in the middle has a lot of run. We still haven't made any great signings at CB or ST but the transfer period isn't over yet so let's see what happens.

Ha! Let you know in a few months. With so many new faces it's too difficult to tell. Who could have predicted even Pelkas and Mystakidis ? Or that Pereyra and Rats wouldn't be in the team. Jairo and Rodrigues are an unknown quantity right now. Sabo we know from our games just now, and I see him in the 11. Leovac also in the 11 at LB. Everyone else for the moment is an unknown quantity. The back line is still suspect. It will be interesting to see how and if it improves with Malezas. End of the day, the team is still a work in progress and as long as they're improving I am ok with that. So long as I don't here vlakies about winning the protathlima I'm ok with being patient with Arnesen and Tudor, and making an assessment in a few months.

I think Leovac would be a great signing.

What ? Who the hell is this ? Then again, I thought the same thing when we signed Mak and Pereyra.

Even in the lower leagues, there is hardly ever trouble. But if there is, you can bet 99% it's either Croatians, Serbs, Skops, Albanians or Turks involved in the trouble.

There is no doubt whatsoever Tudor and Arnesen will take this game ultra seriously. I am sure they realise they will get stacks of criticism for not making the group stages. However, their eagerness to trim the squad was a bit too aggressive for my liking. They should have held onto Lucas for another 2 weeks at the very least.

Anastasiadis with Alefantos as his assistant. Now that's entertainment.

PAO, AEK and PAOK are all a work in progress, and that's being generous. Olympiakos to win, and comfortably too.

Well, the team is in rebuild mode at the moment. So many players that were starters last season are gone. Tudor could have played it safe but he's chosen not to. I'm not saying I agree with his policy, it is high risk, but I don't disagree either. Lance that boil! In effect, his attitude is, if you're not good enough, it's time to go (Maartens), if you're too old I prefer youth (Rats), if you don't want to be at the club, you can go (Noboa, Lucas, Pereyra). I can accept not qualifying for the group stage, or having a mediocre Europe League campaign, if it means a foundation is laid for the following season. Still, I'll be pissed if we lose to Brondby. :)

Dang Dutch Eagle, I was watching the draw live and must have posted 10 seconds after we got Brondby, and you still beat me to it!

Brondby it is ....

Lefkaditis, those days are not gone completely. When South Springvale Aris played in the Dockerty Cup Final last year, the Croatian supporters were back to their old best. They took a large banner from a bunch of 13 year old kids and even pushed and shoved some of them. These Croatian supporters were a few years older and did it in front of their parents who didn't stop it. When some of our adult fans went over to ask for it back, they denied it, and it almost came to blows. In the end our parents decided to let it go, otherwise who knows what would've happened. For the rest of the game they heckled and were making threatening gestures. That is your NSL of old guys, and it's still around. There is nothing to deny, it's just a fact. Doesn't bother me in the slightest, but I don't want my wife or son seeing it. Admittedly, SMH and Heidelberg were never like that. To be fair, the Croatians are by far the most worst (what is wrong with them?) and the Skops the dumbest. But, here is the thing, the people that run the A-League don't distinguish between who is ok or who is not. They lump all of the old NSL teams in the same boat. N.B. After the game the "theft" of the banner was reported to the police and it was returned a few days later.

What did you guys think of Erik Sabo ? Do you think he could fit in at PAOK ? According to http://www.transfermarkt.com/erik-sabo/profil/spieler/155597 he's out of contract at the end of this month.

If we can't beat any of the above teams, then maybe we shouldn't be in the group stage of the Europa. PAOK being PAOK, get your pacemakers serviced just in case.

Absolutely an offensive foul. When Olsen reaches down and first makes contact with the ball on the ground, the opposition player is 2 metres away! I'm guessing Olsen didn't expect him to keep charging at him, and it was an instinctive reaction. Either way, poor refereeing.

You actually made me lol. :)

Penalty! A referee that pays that as a penalty should hang his head in shame. Olsen needs to smarten up and not give a referee the opportunity to even make a bad call. He had the ball in his hands. No reason to do that.