Ellada2004

Typical Uefa would Greece have gotten a decision like this? What about us losing Manolas for the first playoff game vs Croatia over what the intentional yellow for time wasting and the decision to suspend him came almost a month after the Cyprus game and a week before the playoff.. If Greece can beat Italy I would guess that they would take care of the Bosnians at home even with Pjanic.

Yes I was very surprised Mancini left him out.. Good for us..

Italy have called up Mario Balotelli and Andrea Belotti and have surprisingly left out Ciro Immobile for the June qualifiers.

I have a good feeling for the upcoming match vs Italy as we should have all our key players in the lineup. A draw would be great but I see us pulling out win in Athens (should be a packed OAKA) and if we get it will be in the pole position. I think Bosnia will struggle without Pjanic and more so with the way they blew the 2-0 lead vs Greece. I guess were hoping for a Finland - Bosnia draw. I said before that Finland would pose a bigger challenge for 2nd spot as they are having a good run of results recently. Even in there loss at Italy they were in the game late and they missed a great chance to equalize before losing 2-0. Greece vs Finland head to head matches will be the key matches...

Yes we should have had our best players available to play in a match vs Turkey even if it’s a friendly. I’m sure they will have all there big name players there. We need a result there vs those Kolo Turks.

Good point, my optimism comes from that fantastic comeback in Bosnia down 2-0 and we could have won it. Now the team gets to play at home and Italy are the group favourites but Greece will be more ready of the start then what we saw in Bosnia and a fully fit Manolas is a huge lift. Hopefully the home crowd will be large and boisterous after all how often do we play the Italians. I can’t wait..

As Dean said Italy are a strong side but not at France or Belgiums level so getting a win at home vs Italy is doable. If we win our home games and beat all the minnows away which we should we will qualify.

Bakasetas back in the fold? He’s the new Tziolis.. This is the only call up that I disagree with.

Hopefully Greece have a full and healthy squad for a change going into the game with Italy, that’s all I ask for.

Good that they are holding training camp for a week.. A victory vs Italy puts us on top of the group with a home match vs Armenia after tha which should be 3 points. I can't wait for June..

Things are going better under coach Ange and the EPO is getting more serious about the NT. Under Skibbe we played what a total of 5 friendly matches? I remember Luxembourg his first match in charge and then in Athens vs Montenegro and Iceland.. Then before the WCUP we played Egypt and Saudis.

Is the match vs the Turks ago I saw that it wasn't listed on FIFA site of friendly matches.

Good result. Nice goal in added time.. Go Ellada!

Ya Ronaldo is lobbying hard to bring him in to Juventus.. Looks like the deal will be done.

Yes I think two would be best. Give some guys a look who are not regulars.

Yes hopefully he will end up being a better player. If koulouris can give the NT what Mitroglou gave them during the 2014 WCUP qualifying then that should propel Greece into the Euro's..

Greece to play Turkey sometime end of May. Also the EPO is trying to get friendly matches with Austria and Germany that would be very intriguing. Coach Ange has asked to have players released from their club duties so that he can hold a 10 day mini camp. I like the direction he is taking and it looks like EPO is starting to get themselves behind the NT again.

We are stocked with CB and Goalies going forward. Lets see what will happen at the striker position will koulouris step it up and be the next Mitroglou?

A shame that KPAPS career has gone like this. What it would have been to have a healthy K PAPS all this time with the Ethniki..

Yup looks like Man U will buy him. I personally would like to see him at Real or Barca.

A win vs Italy and then another vs Armenia will also help give us a bump up in the FIFA rankings as the draw for 2022 world cup which takes place in July.

Also forgot how close Greece came to qualifying for the 1998 world cup. We needed a win at home vs Denmark and we couldn't get one past Schmeical and it ended 0-0 with Denmark going through in top spot three points ahead of Greece I thought Croatia had secured top place but they finished over us for 2nd and went through via playoff. Wow that was so tough coming that close to making it. Whenever there is a world cup held in Europe we haven't qualified but we have come so very close in 1998, 2006 & 2018.

Good read on the youth coming up.

Just thinking positive ? I like how the team has played on the attack under Ange. The first game even though we only scored 2 vs Liechtenstein they could have easily put in 5 goals if not for some bad finishing. In Bosnia we scored 2 again, and we had Bosnia on three heels. Fortounis had one on a plate in the first half and blasted it over the net. Also in the second half Kolovos had a half volley saved in the box and a few more grade a chances that didn’t go in. So if we can keep up the same offensive pressure going into the next two matches I like our chances. If we play with the same attacking style as we saw vs Bosnia we can get a win. Throw Manolas and Toro back into the lineup and we look pretty tough.

Finland will push Greece hard for 2nd place. I think Finland will get a win in Helsinki vs Bosnia (though a draw would be better for us) Greece play there in September it will be a tough test hopefully Greece can come out with a win and after that game hopefully we're on 13 points and in first place in the group.