PAOK International Players (National Teams)

[pash]

Close one for Mistakidis, he turned 21 four months ago. Is the cutoff "21 or under at the start of this year" or something?

[PAOKSYD]

Under 21s look good on paper. Lets see what the results will be like.

Klaus and Vellidis now have extra incentive to prove their worth in the gsl

[Blackhawk]

Well U-21 already lost to Hungary and Portugal (big time), so any chances of qualifying are probably gone.

 

Other PAOK international call-ups:

 

Dimitiradis - U19 team (Will play in UEFA Euro Qualifying tournament in Spain)

Antonis - Australia

Sabo, Mak - Slovakia (Friendlies against Latvia and Ireland)

Rodrigues - Cape Verde (Africa Nations Cup game against Morocco)

[Pontos]

I think we would all agree that Klaus has been average this season. However I just had a look over some numbers, despite poor performances he has 11 goals in 21 games, many of which he was a substitute, he's scoring a goal every 120 minutes.

 

Now I'm not saying he's having a great season, but I did think that the numbers would reflect a much poorer season from him.

[pash]

Good numbers only count when they're for other players. Klaus' success is only a sign of politics.

[paokarag4]

Klaus is an ok poacher but thats it. When was the last time in a big game we said, Jesus Klaus took the game on and won it for us? He is not that sort of player, which is fine. But our team isn't good enough to have our striker standing in the box waiting for balls and chances to come his way. We need a striker who will come deep, be part of some build up play, play with there back to goal. 
Sure its okay for him (or any striker) to play as a pure poacher against Kalloni and others, but in European games and against the other big teams we need someone who will offer more than just a tap in. 
He has a good scoring record against Olympiakos but some of his worst game I recall being against PAO, AEK and in Europe against decent oppostion. 
Again, he is an ok poacher and scorer, but he does also fluff many chances he really should bury considering he is a poacher. 

Nothing against him I don't mind Klaus at all, but I think looking at it objectively if we want to take the next step he can not be our starting center forward. Just my opinion

[Pontos]

Australia has a World Cup Qualifier tonight in my hometown. Antonis was called up by Ange Postecoglou but has not made the squad, former PAOK forward Apostolos Giannou is starting

[Nea Bafra]

Australia has a World Cup Qualifier tonight in my hometown. Antonis was called up by Ange Postecoglou but has not made the squad, former PAOK forward Apostolos Giannou is starting

He didn't come out Pontos, injured before leaving Greece and stayed in thessaloniki

[Pontos]

Thanks Nea Bafra, was annoyed at the thought he wasn't selected even for the bench given his recent form for us.

[Dutch Eagle]

Giannou played the whole game in the 7-0 win over the always dangerous hometown-team of one our beloved red members: Tzatziki-stan.

[Dutch Eagle]

Robin Olsen played the whole game with Sweden against Turkey (2-1 loss)

[pash]

Can't believe we haven't noted yet - GREAT goal off of a free kick by Tzavellas. That left foot is made of gold.

[Nea Bafra]

Giannou played the whole game in the 7-0 win over the always dangerous hometown-team of one our beloved red members: Tzatziki-stan.

he also had 2 assists and won 2 penalties

[Nea Bafra]

he played the kind of active target man role that would currently suit us

 

a lot more perpetual movement than we currently get [still not very quick but by and large with quick midfielders it works well]

 

i realise the strength of the opposition but in a system he's a decent player

[teke817]

Pelkas just got called up to the senior men's squad for the Iceland friendly. Even though his play has been erratic at times, it's nice to see that Skibbe saw something he liked when he scouted PAOK. 

 

@NeaBafra - agree with you on Giannou, but at the same time, Vellios can fill that exact same role with us so it's not a huge loss.

Edited March 25, 2016 by teke817

[Nea Bafra]

I meant he would be a decent fit for PAOK, not the Greek NT, he is only in the oz team because he fills a need. he is not in the best 11 players Australia has, but he is in the best XI. there is a paucity of strikers in Australia.

 

On a side note, i din't want to post this in one of the threads in the NT section where some bloke compared the Greek and oz teams because have no desire to become part of some flame war over this and have it turn into an NSL v A League m*****a.

 

But i will say this, i think if you look at the 2 squads there are 2 areas where i believe Australia is better and 1 where i believe it's a draw, the rest Greece has Australia covered. i don't like to judge purely based on what club you play for because sometimes that comes down more to politics than anything else

 

the way i see it Australia is ahead in goalkeeping [not by a lot, but i think Ryan has karnezis covered and after that Australia's depth is better] and central midfield [where i think jedinak, rogic, milligan, luongo and mooy are slightly ahead] i think it's probably about even on the wings and that Greece  has Australia covered in the centre of defence easily and the same for the full backs and the forwards. man for man I'll take Greece, but system for system it's hard to go past how well drilled the Australian team is at the moment.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Nea Bafra

[Dutch Eagle]

Mak played the whole game in the friendly against Latvia. Score 0-0.

Sabo came in as a substitute in the 89' minute.

I can not stand those coaches that do this. What on earth can a player show in those few minutes and what on earth can a player do wrong I those few minutes??? It's time that players stand up for their rights of not being ridiculed by coaches.

[Dutch Eagle]

Kace got sent off with two yellows in the friendly against Austria (2-1 defeat).

[Nea Bafra]

Mak played the whole game in the friendly against Latvia. Score 0-0.

Sabo came in as a substitute in the 89' minute.

I can not stand those coaches that do this. What on earth can a player show in those few minutes and what on earth can a player do wrong I those few minutes??? It's time that players stand up for their rights of not being ridiculed by coaches.

 

I don't necessarily think at international level it is about what you can show. The coach should already know about you before picking you.

 

They might have had an injury, cramp or were wasting time. If I was Sabo I'd consider myself fortunate, their coach only made two substitutions the whole game. I'd rather get some game time than none for my national team [club level is a different kettle of fish]

[Blackhawk]

Dimitriadis scored two goals for the U-19 NT in EURO qualifying game against Georgia.

[Dutch Eagle]

Sabo drew 2-2 with Slovakia away against Ireland and provided Miroslav Stoch an assist for the 0-1.

[Blackhawk]

Skibbe picked 4 PAOK players for the preliminary national team squad that will travel to Australia for two friendlies in June.

 

They are Kitsiou, Tzavellas, Tziolis and Pelkas 

[paokarag4]

Might have to make my way down to the hotel or a training session when the boys are in Melbourne and meet some PAOK players for the first time in my life!!

[italosPAOK4]

yea man this will be cool !  :)

[Blackhawk]

Confirmed PAOK players taking part in EURO 2016

 

Mak, Sabo (Slovakia)

Olsen (Sweden)

Kace (Albania)