Bananas

It's looking to be similar to last season where multiple teams are in contention. Much more interesting than those seasons where Olympiacos would be +10 points in front half way through the season.

Guys, we'll never find another coach like Lucescu. He's a one off. Take that note and put it in your back pocket. There are better coaches out there, but you have to be realistic and ask what are the chances we could land them. If they're already proven they are going to better leagues. If they do come, it's because they're old and have lost the spark and are just looking for an easy pay day. They'll be used to having better players and bigger budgets and after dealing with the politics in Greece may just think it's not worth it. Do we really want to go through what Olympiacos and Panathinaikos have gone through in the last couple of years where they have fired and hired multiple coaches. The ridiculous thing is, we are only 1 point from the top. All of the teams are suffering from lack of consistency, not just us. Koulierakis leaving has left a big hole at the back. Let alone he had an eye for goal. A lot of people on here were cheering when he was sold. I honestly don't know why. I definitely wasn't. The only coaches I can think of we could possibly get as replacements is Ivic or Garcia but they are maybes. Who knows if they'll be interested and would they really do a better job? Other than that, it'd be a role of the die. Having said all that we don't know what's going on behind the scenes. And it could be Lucescu just wants to move on. Who the hell knows.

In the end a good point. Agree with pash, every point counts. More importantly, it'll hopefully lift the spirit of the players for the rest of the competition. Stating the obvious but the quality of teams in the EL is a step up from the Conference League. We were hoping to have 6 or at least 4 points by now.

I know right! I was hoping this would be the game we'd stop the rot vs Aris but not to be. The players can only blame themselves this time - they had enough chances. I was hoping we'd win this game and PAO would beat AEX (who have a lot of players still not ready) and open up an early gap at the top of the table. Not to be.

Crespo was a rock solid reliable CB for the club. I wish him well.

@paokarag4 I didn't realise Osimhen was at Galatasaray. He was an animal two seasons ago when Napoli won the title. Wow, I don't know what happened for Osimhen to end up at Galatasaray but that's bad news for us. On a serious note, on paper comparing players, salaries and budgets Galatasaray are very heavy favourites. I won't be disappointed with a loss so long we play at a decent level. I'd be very happy with a draw. Either way, we'll be under the pump and we've achieved some great results against "better" teams in the past. Good luck to the boys.

Back to back baby!

If your trying to convince PAOKSYD, truly your wasted your time ha ha. To give you an idea of the pre Savvidis days, I didn't even used to bother looking at the league table because winning the title was impossible - we just didn't have the budget. It was as likely (with no disrespect intended) as Aris winning the title with their budget. Even if say Olympiacos had a bad year, what were the odds of PAO and AEK also having a bad year. So yeah basically almost impossible. So from my perspective, I'll forever be grateful that Savvidis came to the team and gave us a budget where we can at least fight for the title. As for new Toumba, I'm with you, if it happens it happens. I think it will ... eventually.

Nice. I'm hoping from a financial perspective we can get at least 3 wins in the group stage. Every dollar helps.

All Konstantelias has to do is a few fancy dribbles in Old Trafford and his market value will go through the roof. Will it happen? Who knows, but if it does just watch the rumour flares light up.

Great pics Blackhawk. Much appreciated.

Chalov, what a dog. Why wouldn't he let Koulierakis take the PK? Lucescu should've put Chalov in his place.

Terrible for Greek football. With Russia and Ukraine not in the picture anymore all we would need is 2 or 3 solid seasons and 12th spot is attainable. The countries just above can be caught. After seeing the most unlucky draw Panathinaikos got I thought oh well, at least 3 teams will make it Europe ... not so bad. Then they go and lose to FC Nobody who have a stadium like you see for suburban teams.

Hmm, very very disappointing. I personally don't care and have never cared about making the Champions League, other than the financial benefits. As others have pointed out and it's just the reality, we would just get smashed in the CL and there is no fun in that and in trying to compete with the budgets of those teams. In pure football terms, financials aside, I would prefer we are in the Europa or Conference League. All I want each season is to make the group stage of any of the competitions. But what is most disappointing is being eliminated to Malmo. We should really be beating this team and handily. Wasted opportunity and the club can only blame itself for not being more prepared, which we never are by the way. The qualifiers each season are the worst.

Tomorrow, Ekong is sold. The day after, Koulierakis. The day after that Kedziora to get injured. Taking bets now. On a more serious note, what's up with Meite. Definitely time to move on.

There were plenty of games last season where Meite was MVP or close to MVP. Whether or not he gets that form back is up to him. I'd be surprised if he doesn't but yeah it will take a couple of months. I'm sure he'll feel a bit sheepish when he walks back into the club rooms but it'll pass and end of the day he's still earning decent money. The biggest thing people forget is that players (at least normal ones) hate to be on the bench. They all want to start and I imagine Meite will be the same.

I was about to comment how I've very surprised we are still chasing Meite. I mean I would love to have him in the squad. He would really add some depth. But given that pre season is kind of over and I'm assuming he's unfit (he's a heavy boy) plus his reticence to sign with us I thought we were done and dusted with Meite. 😁 https://www.sport24.gr/football/o-paok-irthe-se-symfonia-me-ton-soyalio-meite.10360466.html

Even the boys at PAOK Today were commenting how bad Kotarski's kit was. 😁

You sir, are hardcore! Ivan the Terrible comes to Thessaloniki, pays off our 10 million euro debt (do you remember that?) increases the player budget I don't know how much but it must be 3 or 4 fold, has built the best youth facilities in the country, makes it so that we are genuine contenders each season, wins us 2 championships and 4 cups and you reaction is ... where is the stadium ha ha. Good lord, will you ever be thankful? I guess if not by now, then the answer is no. Maybe one day you'll get your wish and Ivan the Terrible will leave. And then you will see what happens. If you're not sure go and speak to a Panathinaikos fan. Once they chased away the Vardinoyiannides that were putting in the money for all those years they haven't won a championships since then. At the time though the fans were all giving each other high fives about how hardcore they were. I think even if the stadium was built you'd would still complain. If the club ever gets sold to someone with money, hey, I won't be upset but in all our illustrious history only one person has put in big money so I ain't holding out much hope. It's not like there's a massive queue of people hanging to buy the club.

s%$#!, are you actually a PAOK fan? I always assumed you were an undercover gavro or xanoumi.

If it was that easy to attract players to the 18th best league in Europe, it would've been done by now. Maybe if we paid Arab money but last I checked we ain't Arabs, we don't have oil and even Ivan the Great doesn't have that kind of cash. To attract the players you'd like, we wouldn't have to pay overs, we'd have to pay over overs if you get me. Maybe if we throw in a pic of Ivan on the horse that might get em cheaper. You never know. As for Marcos A, he barely played last season. So I don't know what Camara is, but he isn't a replacement for a player that barely contributed. If anything he was meant to add options to the midfield rotation but now that Meite is unlikely to stay I guess he's Meite's replacement.

None of us want to see Kotarski leave. He's been our best GK maybe ever. Very reliable. As for the offer from Genoa, it's pitiful. If we do sell, anything under 7 million would be a shame. 10 million would be acceptable. Hopefully we hold out and he doesn't kick up a fuss. Ideally we don't sell as it's not easy to find a good GK but I guess people's short term memory isn't reliable. Discussions with Brignoli make sense, just in case. He is a decent GK apart from that one patch for a few weeks where he just lost the plot.

I'm surprised we signed Camara. I really didn't think it was going to happen. By all accounts he's a good player. Whether he's worth his salary, time will tell. As for Vierinha, I think there's still some value in having him for another year. The value is in his leadership in the club room much more so than on the pitch.

I don't think PAO is with AEK. At least I haven't gotten that impression. There is definitely animosity between Olympiacos and AEK but I am not sure what's triggered it. When you have Kougias saying he hopes PAOK wins the title because we at least are a "kathari omada" you know you really are in wonderland. Essentially Kougias is saying the AEK has an alliance with Aris and Lamia but I don't buy it. Well Lamia maybe but if there was an alliance with Aris then why did Aris make it 3-3 in the final minutes of their game recently? Just doesn't add up. https://www.newsit.gr/athlitika/aleksis-kougias-as-parei-to-protathlima-mia-kathari-omada-opos-o-paok-kai-oxi-i-aek-pou-paizei-filika/4081289/

They've done so poorly in Europe in the last decade that they're always in the weaker group. I noticed there is a chance they could play with Ajax - nasty. That's how it goes - they're going to have to fight for the next 3, 4 or 5 seasons unfortunately to bring up the rating.