Ellada2004

Yes in the NL we looked very good winning in England too and keeping clean sheets vs Ireland and Finland. Greece got 15pts in any other group in League B we top it easily, if only we could have lost to England by a 1 nil in Athens we would have a playoff spot now. The Denmark match ruined the team especially with all the defensive and goal keeping blunders.

Agreed, he did bring in some young talent but he stuck with Kourbelis? Why? It was the easiest World Cup draw since we had Bosnia and Slovakia in 2014 WCUP qualifiers but Santos led us to a top finish but we lost out on goal difference. Bosnia was a better side compared to this Denmark and certainly better than Scotland. Poyet failed in the Euro playoff which rightfully cost him his job but he managed to get Greece to the final matchday in a group with FRANCE and HOLLAND! This was an epic failure and we should have been in the playoffs at the very least! Jovanovich and his associates should walk! Enough!!

Is Jovanovich leaving? Ange would be my choice of your list, looking back EPO should have hired him back when they hired JVS. I have said I would like a big name manager such as a Klopp or Mancini no nonsense managers that know what it takes to succeed. Over the last few years we have seen EPO hire Skibbe, Anastastiadis, JVS, Poyet and Jovanovich an average group though I thought Jovanovich would get us to the world cup if not at least the playoff round. EPO needs to spend money to make money, bring in a high quality manager who has won a Champions league or Europa league at club level or a Euro at NT level like a Mancini.

Great points Dean, I said that EPO should just go all in for Klopp or a coach of that standard someone who has won a champions league or major international trophy like a Mancini for example. It will cost $ but the ROI will be greater if coach gets Greece back to the Euros. If we do not land a big name no nonsense coach I feel it will be hard to qualify for Euros as we will most likely have a tough draw given our ranking. Jovanovich did an incredible job initially in NL winning in England were hardly anyone wins competitive matches. We should have topped that group if not for giving up 3 goals in the reverse fixture and Greece would have had a playoff spot now. Greece were handed a dream draw getting Denmark from all the pot 1 juggernauts and Scotland who we have outclassed in NL. Still Jovanovich whom I like as a manager completely messed up our chances in that home match vs Denmark. Had we at least got a draw there it would have given us momentum going into the crucial October matches but he screwed up big time with the starting lineup and his subs at HT were baffling taking of Karetsas when we where chasing a goal? After this match we know what happened as the team had huge meltdowns in Scotland and Denmark. I agree with you about our defense but why did Jovanovich not fix this after the Denmark match. Koulerakis was one of our worst players. Hopefully we get our defending back to what we are use to giving up 12 goals against!

I agree with you that he did bring in the youth but he did not utilize them well. Why is Kourbelis starting? He was the worst player on the pitch at home vs Denmark dribbling around our box and cost us a goal. He was not in game shape coming from the Saudi league and Jovanovich starts him in a match of this magnitude! Bakasetas, Masouras, Manatalos, Kourbelis and Siopis cant be part of the team going forward. I thank them for their efforts for the NT but during their tenure Greece have qualified for ZERO major tournaments. Mantalos who first appeared at Euro 2016 qualifier vs Romania under Ranieri has failed to get us to a World Cup or Euro and he has only had a few great matches that I can recall like the NL match a few years ago vs Kosovo. Its time for a fresh start! This last campaign was a major failure that none of us saw coming.

What an absolute disgraceful way to end this miserable campaign. Why did Jovanovich start Mantalos and Masouras as another member here posted did they win us a Euro and deserve a big send off? Karetsas can never be left out of the starting lineup when available end of story! Jovanovich as much as I like and respect him has to just leave the job it was a shambles of a campaign, not qualifying directly from this group and an average but very lucky Scotland team is in the World Cup that just says it all. Finishing with 7pts and being eliminated with two matchdays remaining is a total disgrace!

what a fing joke! 0-0 at HT. Jovanovich starting Mantalos and Masouras he ruined our world cup dream!

one clear chance missed by Masouras

WHAT the F*** is with this lineup!! Scotland winning what a blown campaign!!!

Great points, yes I can see Bakasetas sticking around through to the Euro 2028 qualifiers unless we bring in a top tier coach who will call the shots 100% with regards to player selections. I always said Jovanovich is a good manager and I like him personally but he made to many errors that cost us like starting Kourbelis in the match in Athens vs Denmark. Its not all Kourbelis fault but he had barely played at club level in the Saudi league. That match started our downturn and Greece could not bounce back. Jovanovich did not learn from his mistake and started him again at Scotland in the key match of qualifying to keep our chance at a playoff spot and we lost. Even yesterday why did he start him again and Bakesetas in a match that we could experiment and see some younger players? His subs were not helpful and his in game management was questionable especially when Greece went up 3 goals and then Scotland started to take the match to us as our midfield players were exhausted. I heard Jovanovich may leave on his own? I think for the NT to make a major tournament we need a top tier manager who has won trophies at the International or Champions League for example someone like an Ancelotti or a Klopp. Greece are now going to miss yet another tournament and we are seeing the likes of Albania, Wales, Ireland, North Ireland, Scotland, Norway and even the frigin Skops qualifying for the Euros or World Cup its completely unacceptable especially this cycle given all this talent we have at our disposal! I still cant believe how Jovanovich managed to F*** up this opportunity being placed in a group with Denmark, Scotland and Belarus and we were knocked out of contention with two matches left as well. Unacceptable!

Greece got the win. Electric attacking play that we have not ever seen before from the Ethniki. Karetsas will be one of the worlds great footballers for years to come. Our defending is a total disgrace I cant recall us giving up these many goals in a campaign. Greece we F***ed ourselves with stupid personal and tactical decisions over this campaign. First place could have been ours. Denmark was a dream draw from pot 1 as I have said here many times and we saw that today as they tied Belarus at home. We pissed away those two matches with the Danes along with the match at Scotland where Greece should have got a draw if not for our defensive lapses. Totally sucks that we failed to make a third World Cup in a row.

Ya bro I just heard this on radio! Argggghh

I so so love the Ethniki but this really sucks to watch this match today after what happened in the last international window. We are playing our second last qualifier vs Scotland and Greece are already eliminated! A team we should have disposed of and had second place for ourselves. This is the most disappointing campaign since the 2016 Euros. I don't want to see Kourbelis, Bakasetas and Mantalos again on the pitch for the NT. Megali Dropi!

Greece fall eight spots to #48.

Great points, I have said I liked the hiring of Jovanovich a lot as I had a feeling he would incorporate the younger players into the squad. The major problem with him is that he stuck with Kourbelis and others who have no business being on the team. Kourbelis hardly had any playing time in the Saudi league and he automatically starts him vs Denmark? He was so poor that match and the Danes just exploited us. Why did he mess with the winning lineup when we destroyed Scotland 3-0 in NL? If he has the right lineup in that match Greece beat Scotland comfortably and we are still in the running for 2nd place. Too not be in the playoffs is a major failure and to be eliminated with two match days left is a total disaster! Your right our attacking play is great but defensively we were exposed and gave up 9 goals in the last 3 matches something that you would never see from the NT of old.