ausgreek

Skankaroo, it was out of Alexandros Pirlo or Tachtsidis and he went for Pirlo. He opted for the experience factor, I guess he felt he couldn't carry two guys not that mobile for the midfield positions. With his back four, the Germans usually pick cb's as fullbacks so all these cb's are typical of that. I'm willing to back him with this even though he didn't pick another rb. Skibbe is trying to instill some steely German influence, perhaps trying to create a strong culture. Hope he can, the head office will try and spoil it for him.

Skanksta, I agree about Sotiri Ninis. The Skibbe chose Fortounis and Mantalos ahead of Ninis. He even chose Gianniotas, Bakasetas and Diamantakos ahead of Fetfatzidis. With rb, Skibbeman chose Oik and Tzav to cover cb, and push Sok to the right to cover Toro skipper. Petsos is a good inclusion in the squad. The experience of Tziolis? I'm not a fan but I'll back the coach on this. He can adjust the squad after 2 games if he must.

Netherland are going to face the might of Greece! Leonithas, its Sparta's time to attack!

You can bet that Mykonos will score, it's just what happens. He will need good wingmen and it will happen.

Pirlo Tziolis even got in ahead of Tachtsidis! Must be for his vision. Still say he won't start and Skibbe will go with Samaris Maniatis (long range goal scorer) and Fortounis in midfield. Bakasetas Mitroglou (Mykonos) and Holebas as his starting front three.

Reckon they would of picked the squad by now lol. Should happen earlier no.52..

Hey, nearly caught up to the Socceroos, 6 more months?

Be nice If the Hellas jersey was at the Nike stores in Sydney gamoto! I like that uncomplicated plain look. I have Kalamata olives.

With the calls for 3 CB's, if Kyriako is out through injury, who plays as the 3rd CB? Is it Tzavellas, Moras or Oikonomou? Or does the structure change to 4 at the back because of one player, Kyriako's absence?

'We' are top 15 team with that lineup, but its not played on paper or on phantis. Kyriak is injured or underdone and Skibbe won't play 3 CB's. End of movie lads. Tell u what, pick a side that's 4 2 3 1.

So Kyriako is fully fit again then?

Re Paithia na poume, rebuilding and instability as I put it, takes up to afew years at times. Since the Turkey game, the team has looked like it has direction, for long periods, not in disarray like during qualifications, even during the horror Euro period, we never got smashed. Skibbe gives the impression he demands authority and the players look as though they have bought into what their roles are for him. Ranieri and Markarian never captured the team's respect and Karagounis couldn't work with Markarian. It was in all a dark period for a multitude of reasons. Santos would demand authority and made clear what every player's role was, he knew his player's abilities inside out. That high press against Australia now that you mention it J1078, was as good as England was a week earlier. It was even more impressive to go way ahead against Iceland. Once the misfiring is gone, Greece will be consistent again. I like positive outlooks and they will come back from doom and gloom.

Pass through if you can, hows things re? I noticed LeMendel has been back in action again too lately. Tzioli the new Kats?

Skankster, Spain, Italy (with Greece colours) and Wales will probably qualify straight up, I still say we will top the group. I insist we went through a mongrel of a rebuilding cycle with multiple negatives that occured, this coach has worked out his 4 2 3 1 with us and we will be ready.

Skanko, don't u tell me u don't agree with me!

As I was drinking my half Bravo half Turkish coffee, and watering pots with gardenias, I received a vision I will share. The Hellenes will top their group, Yes, and Belgium will be 3rd below Bosnia-Hertsegovina. They have hazos Hazard but we have Fortounis !! We are on the way back baby! Pot two will be for Bosnia. Won't-the-true-Enthniki-please stand up, please stand up, please stand up. K Papas isn't so valuable as Skibbe won't play 3 CB's, with wingbacks. Nonetheless, we will be ready after the Netherlands match.

Well, if Pepe from the Azzuri can get $40 mil in China, Mitroglou can get $60mil a year. That's why paithia, learn to kick a ball!

My maaate, skinny Stavro from Marrickville Olympic fc, told me that Greece are gonna beat Belgium 1-0. One of 2 Kostas are going to score. Belgium are going to have some shots on goal but miss most, while some shots will be saved by the keeper. Wonder if Oresti will be back otherwise the keeper will be Stefano, which is just fine.

The National team has had great coaches, but even Vicente de Bosque has moved on from Spain and they can try new systems and fresh ideas. With him Spain won everything on the planet. Skibbe's team for instance shows no character in Sydney, Very limited preperations. Then in Melbourne they looked excellent as a team, every bit as good as England did a week earlier against Australia. I'm looking forward, yet appreciate the great work of Otto Rehagel and Fernando Santos. I still have the commentary of the Euro 2004 when Charisteas headed the goal in, on a disc. A guy did me a copy, sic na poume!

As we saw, the euro qualifiers were our time for rebuilding, you can't predict exactly when it will happen, but when it comes stand aside and hope it doesn't take too long. That was the worst preparation I've seen of a team at this level, leading into the Romania match. A new coach, retirements, players without clubs, injuries, and marriage breakdowns. It all came to a head right after WC '14. At least it came after. As the talent pool isn't as Germany's, it take longer to regroup. Lets see if the Pirates are ready in this period of time. Santos could of phased in some talent off the bench on occasion, and played Fetfa or even Taxi instead of being defensive, at crucial moments of certain matches. A notable stricker to the previous world cup could of made a difference in close international games. On the other hand Santos is dogged, ultra conservative though gets the best out of the players he is I charge of, he went at the right time. It might of all gone downhill for him with the team, after the WC, undoing all the good memories of the high achievements of the WC campaign. Then, we would of been calling for his sacking, then getting Ranieri around November '14.

Since 12 Oct 15 (after the Euro abominations), Greece drew with Turkey at home, in hostile conditions, have won 3 (Hungary, Montenegro, Australia), lost 2 Iceland when they were up 2-0, and Australia, with some stars missing), 3 wins, 2 losses 1 draw is not too bad. Fair preparations for the Netherlands friendly, leading into WCQ. I'm not sure from when Skibbe took charge, might of been Montenegro but the evidence is that they are building steadily.

Santos persisted with Karagounis and Katsouranis so, Tziolis may well of been made captain before Salpingitis. We will never know.

Like to think Hellas are coming out of a rebuilding phase after a crap euro qualification attempt. They showed they can high press as a team efficiently in Melbourne. They had too many players injured or not playing by they time they played their first game against Romania, 2 years ago. Karagounis retired also, who engineered most things. They fell in a heap. To think Greece were a whisker away from the last 8 of the world cup 2 years ago, where Keylor Navas was superhuman for a period of 100 mins, he even surprised himself. Lets see the first two qualifiers to gauge if they came out of rebuilding. I'm backing them in.

Where has Taxi Fountas gone, he has stagnated.