Transfer News And Rumors - Summer 2015

[Lefkaditis]

So I guess the question is - how does the A-league compare to the GSL?

You have just started a new topic here which potentially has hundreds of pages and many arguments.......just like in the old GS forum.

 

The standard of the AL is not as bad as people think (e.g. Akritis above). The results of AL teams against top opposition (Liverpool, Juventus, Man City, etc) is evidence of this, although they were only pre-season friendlies. 

 

Definitely not as good as the GSL, but it is a totally different league and style, not as skilful but tougher and fairly quick. A bit like the EPL of old but lower standard obviously.

 

I'm sure others will have different opinions, and they will tell you so.... 

[RED SHERIFF]

The ALeague is probably bottom half of Scottish League level...and we see how well Scottish teams do in Europe?

 

To put things into perspective . Not just the Burns example.....there's also Barbarouses killing it too...

 

AND........Melb City just signed Bruno Fornaroli.....in my opinion the worst player I have seen at PAO....This guy was beyond poor..

[Bananas]

As the posters above have stated, the A-League is inferior to the GSL by a decent margin.  No real comparison.  However, in terms of pitch quality and general TV coverage, it's light years ahead of the GSL.

[RED SHERIFF]

I think TV coverage comparison....is unfair as we don't live in GREECE...Therefore we do not get the proper HD coverage and variety of GSL programs that Greeks get...we get a poor stream via Antenna...absolutely unwatchable at times...Gate Antenna and Derby are garbage.....But I have seen some better standard and quality soccer programs on Satellite TV....It makes the whole experience enjoyable...

 

Also regarding stadia and pitches...these are also handpicked..it would be like GSL only being played at Karaiskaki, Leoforo, Harilaou, AEL Arena. OAKA, Toumba, Patra, Volos, Iraklio

Edited August 15, 2015 by RED SHERIFF

[Lefkaditis]

Lef you said the A-League is tougher than the GSL? I am not sure how you see that but that can not be further from the truth, A-League is not tough, like Akritis mentions, look at Burns and what he can do for Wellington vs what he did at AEK... He did well with Kerkyra in 2nd division but the Super League has many teams of quality that take the game many levels above the HAL.

I meant tougher as in tougher tackling, strength, more butchers here.....not tough as in difficulty making it or being successful.

 

Sheriff's point about TV coverage is spot on. I'v just got Foxtel HD and compared to standard def it's night and day. I would pay anything to get the pathetic Antenna Pacific on HD................

 

In terms of stadia, yes another good point but the "football" grounds in Australia (more like rugby grounds) are better, no question. For example, my team Pao, second biggest supported club in Greece, has a stadium (which I absolutely love and visit every time I'm in Athens) which in Australia would be classified on the Heritage register........ 

[Lefkaditis]

AND........Melb City just signed Bruno Fornaroli.....in my opinion the worst player I have seen at PAO....This guy was beyond poor..

+1. The worst foreign player PAO ever had. Might do OK in the AL, but will probably fail even there.

[RED SHERIFF]

off topic...

 

I noticed that UCL this season has been advertised on beIN sport...does that mean that ESPN HD won't show it?

 

it will decrease 'watch-ability' by 50%

[Lefkaditis]

SBS will be showing matches, but only on Wednesday mornings I believe (heard this a while ago).

 

Not sure about ESPN. If they don't, will leave a big (expensive) hole.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Lefkaditis

[Tahma]

Apparently Fenerbahce believe it is in their best incentive for Stoch to leave, obviously due to new transfers.

Bursaspor apparently is interested, and I think he would consider PAOK but says no contact has been made.

So I wonder if Arnesen even spoke to him...

[pash]

PAOK has repeatedly stated that they're not looking at him. I'd still like him. Would be a good signing.

[paok4athens]

if we sign him with reasonable money would be a very good transfer

[Bananas]

I'd be happy to have in the squad, but he would have to take a massive wage drop.  His wages at Fenerbahce are astronomical by PAOK standards.

 

From wikipedia, assuming it's correct ...

 

Fenerbah?e gave Stoch a two-year contract extension in 2012. Stoch is contracted to the club until 2015?16, making ?1.75 million and ?15000 per match in 2012?13. He will earn ?1.75 million in addition to ?16000 per game in 2013?14, ?1.8 million plus ?16000 per match in 2014?15 and ?1.9 million as well as ?17000 per game in 2015?16.

[Bananas]

Sport24 is running a headline on the splash page of the main errors Olsen has made since signing - complete with videos of the mistakes:

 

http://www.sport24.gr/football/omades/Paok/oi-prwtes-gkafes-toy-olsen-ston-paok.3617736.html

 

Must have been a slow day for the media.  He was definitely flat footed on the Veroia corner.

[Bananas]

What's happening with Cimirot ?

[Bananas]

I should add regarding Stoch, wages aside, I think if he came willingly to the club that he would do really well.  When he came on loan, he knew he was there just for a short time and he also knew he was one of the better players in the league which meant he kind of slacked off.  With the addition of more attacking players in the squad he won't be guaranteed a starting position if his level drops off.  If he could stay motivated and deliver his A-game most weeks, I'm sure he'll be a very regular starter.

[Tahma]

Pretty sure I read that Cimirot is coming down for medicals or a meeting of some sort.

I would also personally love to have Stoch back with the squad we currently have.

[Tahma]

I guess we'll just wait for confirmation very shortly...

 

http://olapaok.gr/podosfairo/einai_sth_thessalonikh_etoimos_gia_ypografes.3618275.html

[Dutch Eagle]

Confirmed.

He got a three-year contract.

http://inpaok.com/255342/%CF%84%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%BC%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%84-%CF%84%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82/''>http://inpaok.com/255342/%CF%84%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%BC%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%84-%CF%84%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82/'>http://inpaok.com/255342/

[Blackhawk]

Cimirot will be making 400K per season. He will wear jersey number 16.

 

Antonis will most likely sign tomorrow. Still waiting for some paperwork from Sydney.

[Doxa]

I should add regarding Stoch, wages aside, I think if he came willingly to the club that he would do really well.  When he came on loan, he knew he was there just for a short time and he also knew he was one of the better players in the league which meant he kind of slacked off.  With the addition of more attacking players in the squad he won't be guaranteed a starting position if his level drops off.  If he could stay motivated and deliver his A-game most weeks, I'm sure he'll be a very regular starter.

 

PAOK needs about 2 Stoch's. You had them but they left. Okey I wont start again but still. Stoch and another player with these new and unknown signing would be a good mix.

Stoch will never get that salary somewhere else except if he goes to Dubai or something. If he wants to stay in Europe he will have to settle with less, and PAOK can pay him that.

[pash]

I agree, he was on crazy money, and as good as I think he is, I don't think he's worth that much.

 

Noboa, to me, was very overpaid at the 1mm we were giving him. Natcho looked much more impressive to me, frankly.

[Doxa]

I think nobody really knows how much players earn. I've told you guys before i read that Klaus was the highest paid player with 675k and that was after Noboa came. I couldnt really believe it at the time because Noboa came from Russia where they overpay players just like in Turkey. Anyway, I think PAOK has a chance to get Stoch with less money then turks paid him for sure.

[Bananas]

PAOK needs about 2 Stoch's. You had them but they left. Okey I wont start again but still. Stoch and another player with these new and unknown signing would be a good mix.

Stoch will never get that salary somewhere else except if he goes to Dubai or something. If he wants to stay in Europe he will have to settle with less, and PAOK can pay him that.

 

The Stoch you're referring to is not the Stoch I want.  He played when he felt like it, and felt PAOK was beneath him.  Which it probably was, so go elsewhere!  Not sure who the other Stoch you're referring to is.  Maybe Natcho ?  A superb player, much more professional than Stoch, but let's face it, he was never staying beyond his 6 month loan.

 

As I've said earlier, when PAOK has revenue of ~15M and Olympiakos has revenue of ~80M, you can't compete by buying Stoch like players.  Olympiakos will always come out on top in that battle.  Players like Roberto, Mirallas, Campbell will never come to PAOK so we'll always be one step behind.

 

However, if we buy young talent, then maybe, just maybe, we might make a team.  This season, for the first since I can ever remember, PAOK has done two things.  They have gotten young players, and secondly, they've actually payed for them.  In the past most of our transfer were free transfers.

 

Our transfers so far :-

- Cimirot, 22

- Leovac, 27

- Sabo, 23

- Olsen, 25

- Jairo, 23

- Antonis, 21

- Malezas, 30 (which is all right for a CB)

 

I believe if we stick to this model we will do better in the long term.  Definitely the short cut methods of the last 3 years haven't worked out, and have left us with a disheveled squad that needs rebuilding from the ground up.

[pash]

I think he means the two Stochs were Noboa and Lucas.

[Bananas]

I think he means the two Stochs were Noboa and Lucas.

 

Fair enough.

 

I forgot from the above list :-

- Rodrigues, 24

 

Also, you could count the following as new transfers :-

- Pelkas, 21

- Mystakidis, 20

- Charisis, 20

- Korovesis, 23

 

Having said that, our squad size is getting kind of silly.  There will need to be a cull at some point soon.

Edited August 18, 2015 by Bananas