Bananas

An away goal is so precious. I've never been a fan of losing the first game 1-0 away. All the opposition need on the return leg is a goal, and all of a sudden you need 3 goals.

Nothing for a while. The transfer period still has a while to go so there is still time.

+1 on that. If Mystakidis was let go or loaned out, that would be one bone head of a move.

Yiasou re kozi. Pretty much agree with your first lineup. It's kind of scary that only 3 of last season's squad are in that line up. I'd say Charisis should be in that second line up also. At least we have depth ... in theory.

From a business perspective, Mak has been a superb investment. Imagine if a scout came up to you and said, "hey, I've found this player, he'll cost 300K, he'll bang in ~20 goals per season for 2 seasons, he's a game changer, and in 2 years from now you'll sell him for 10x what you paid for him". Having said that, I actually think he's worth a bit more than what Zenit paid for him. Regardless, I still wish he stayed with us, even though it was never realistic to think such a thought.

Does the money from the transfer belong to Papathanasakis or the club ? If it belongs to the club, and it can't be accounted for, then it's missing or stolen. I don't understand why this is so difficult.

Maybe he'll tell Tsipras he's fired ?!

PAOK vs AEK is in round 9. That gives me some time to find an avatar for Amorgos.

Throw in a set of steak knives and I'll think about it.

Yes yes, I get what Sheriff is saying also. But, what can we seriously expect from a team that hasn't kept a manager for longer than 8 months in the last 4 seasons ? Note that our fans don't help either. As for expecting players that are leaders or can make the difference, how can a team like PAOK attract such players ? The answer is they can't easily. A player that is that easy to spot, will have been poached by a better club in a better league long before a team like PAOK can get them. All PAOK can do is to try and acquire players that show glimmers of something, and hope that given the chance they will reach some sort of hypothetical potential. Sometimes it will works e.g. Lucas, Mak, sometimes it won't. PAOK doesn't currently have the mentality as a club or the funds to be able to just "make" a team that can regularly and consistently put teams like Ajax way. There are a core of players currently in the team that are semi-solid players like Tzavellas, Leovac, Charisis, Cimirot, Kace, Pelkas, Mystakidis, Rodrigues, Pereyra that are all decent players on their day. The hard part is having them all fit and in form at the same time. I am hoping that some of the new transfers like Matos, Shakhov, Canas, Biseswar, Djalma will be another small step up in "kwality" as Tudor used to say. Having said all that, I've always thought that the most logical expectation one should have for their team, is that it is better and improving from one season to the next. With that in mind I am quietly optimistic about this seasons transfers. Will PAOK beat Ajax ? I don't know. But I will be disappointed if the team this season is not better than last season. And yes, Mak will be sorely missed.

Your recommendation on how to proceed ? Cyanide pill perhaps ?

Ha, I voted for Arnesen and Tudor! Bougatses on the house.

They can have him. Throw in a bougatsa as well.

He should have a taken a role in China somewhere earning big dollars. Plus his record with Portugal would have stayed pristine.

At least those Turkish soap operas (and yes the stories are terrible) are produced professionally. The greek shows these days look like someone stuck their fingers down their throat and barfed on a screen. The picture quality is some sort of blur from a 1980's camcorder. The sound quality sounds as if the producer was working in a small toilet. And the script usually involves people acting like baffoons screeching at the top of their voice. I know the country has its financial problems but it also had them back in '50s and '60's and we still managed to produce good classic films. Now, it's just awful.

It looks like Erdogan is performing his a purge the likes of which we have not seen since I can remember. Any politicians/public servants/judges/school teachers that aren't pro religion are going to be second class citizens or worse.

Curious to see how the situation with Kace unfolds. 12 months ago he was offered if I remember correctly ~500K and he was a lock for a starting position in the 11. Now ... hmmm, I'd say he could even be 3rd or 4th choice. As for Sabo, maybe he'll stay with us ? I need him as my super sub.

In the long run, won't this weaken Turkey ? Sure, it will strengthen Erdogan, and he is obviously a shrewd individual, but at the end of the day getting rid of hundreds or even thousands of key personnel isn't something which strengthens a nation. It's great short term for Erdogan though. Maybe he can start appointing more of his relatives into key positions. As for this setting Turkey back in terms of the EU "project", I don't believe they ever really wanted to join, or ever really expected to be asked to join. They just want the best trading terms they can get.

We were never going to hold onto Mak. That was very obvious. Our best 11 (secret pincer formation). Glykos Skondras --------> +++ <------ Leovac Konstantinidis -----> +++ <----- Tzavallas Kitsiou ---------> +++ <---- Giannoulis Matos --------> +++ <----- Korovesis Vierinha* -------> +++ <------- Lino** * The funds from the Mak transfer will be used to sign Vierinha. ** Lino to come out of retirment. +++ Space for enemy to "attack" into. Super sub: Sabo.

Seriously, enough with this player. With the way this saga has been going on, I don't care if he comes or not.

You wanted defenders. We got you defenders!

All things considered not a bad draw. I'd like to get some revenge for the 4-4 from some years back. Blackhawk the walking encyclopedia, I'm sure, will dig up what year it was. If I was a betting man I'd say 40% chance of progressing. Sound reasonable ? This is not the AJAX power house of old. They also don't have a young Suarez although these days I don't really know their squad. Dutch Eagle, what do you think ? What is their squad like ? What are our (realistic) chances ? Could you increase them by maybe sabotaging their dinner ? Come on, your team needs you !!!!

I thought Varela was injured. Though, even if he is injured (and he can't help in the CL qualifiers) he'll still be a solid signing.

If Antonis has half a brain, he'll stay in Greece and actually learn at a higher level.