2018-2019 Pre Season Training News

[Blackhawk]

According to preliminary reports the pre-season training session will consist of two part. The first part will take place between June 22 - July 3 in Horst, Holland.

The team will return to Thessaloniki for few days before returning to Holland and in particular to Oostenbeek for the second part which will take place between July 6 - July 15.

Our first official game will be on July 24/25 in the 2nd Qualifying Round of Champions League. 

[Yiankos]

Άντε καλή χρονιά να έχουμε. Με χαμηλά τη μπάλα και καλή προετοιμασία. Υπομονή και ταπεινότητα θα κάνουμε ονειρική χρονιά!

[Dutch Eagle]

Good news. Especially because we won't go to Chalkidiki this year. 

[Blackhawk]

Apparently we will play 3 games during our first stay in Holland, and 3 game during our second stay. I think the first 3 will be against brew pub teams and the last 3 against real teams.

[pash]

OnSports reporting that Lucescu hasn't left Greece for vacation as he is working on what he wants for next year's roster. Supposedly he's already delivered the list of players he wants to get rid of to Michel, and is considering who should be loaned and who should be brought back. It sounds like he wants everything but the new signings to be decided before he heads to the Netherlands.

He kept the team very fit last season, so I have high hopes that when we start our qualifiers, we won't have missed a beat. We started off very poorly last season, and it was terrible that we had players returning to Greece in worse shape than when we left.

[Blackhawk]

That was the big mistake last season. If we had Lucescu from the start we would have won the title with 10 point difference.

[pash]

For sure. We would have hit the ground running.

Kitsiou and Charisis are now on their way back to Greece. No word on if an offer was made, though I'm also not sure if they'd be able to take action on their clauses prior to the transfer window opening anyway.

[Athens4]

I would have no issue with Kitsiou being sold. What do you guys think?

[pash]

We'll see if he's improved during the preseason. He has all the potential, just needs to reach it.

[paokarag4]

He had a full season in Belgium as a starter which can't have done him any harm. I'd be happy to keep him and play him as a back-up to Matos and with European football next year (hopefully we make it through to group stage of the Europa league at least) there will be rotation needed. 

The question is, would Kitsiou be happy to come and start the season as the back-up right back after having had a season as a starter abroad 

[pash]

Pelkas, Koulouris, Limnios apparently got some gym work in today. In most leagues this wouldn't be surprising, but hopefully it's a sign that our younger players are intending to become the genetic freaks we all know they have buried within them.

[Blackhawk]

Hopefully Charisis does the same when he comes back, and does not lapse back to his old drinking and partying days.

[italosPAOK4]

ante kalh proetoimasia na exoume thn epomenh xronia pame na ta sarwsoume ola !

[pash]

Stafylidis and Hatziisaias training at Toumba too. Will be interesting to see if either are destined to rejoin our team.

[Blackhawk]

I doubt either of them will be with PAOK this season. Couple English clubs are interested in Chatziisaia. If that is the case, sell him right away. 

[Blackhawk]

Our first confirmed pre-season friendly is against FC Nordsjaelland from Denmark:

02-Jul-2018, 16:00 local time: PAOK - FC Nordsjaelland  (Venlo, Holland)

[pash]

Looks like we're lining up another friendly vs Steaua Bucharest as well. That's a good move IMO. Hope Varela scores a goal.

[Blackhawk]

Our preliminary pre-season game schedule:

26-Jun:  KAA Gent U23  (Belgium)
29-Jun:  Anderlecht Brussels  (Belgium)
02-Jul:   FC Nordsjaelland  (Denmark)
09-Jul:  Steaua Bukurest  (Romania)
16-Jul:  Al Taawoun  (Saudi Arabia)
16-Jul:  TBA

[pash]

Playing against a youth squad and two games on the 16th? Now that's planning

[Blackhawk]

Makes sense to me. You start with a warm up game against the youngsters and you finish with the TBA team which I assume will be a top name team to test you starting 11 for the CL game. The rest of the players will get one more chance against the Saudis to fight for the last few spots open on the team. 

[Blackhawk]

First pre-season practices start tomorrow. Practices will take place in Nea Mesimvria Wednesday and at Toumba on Thursday. Players will also undergo medical tests during those two days. The team will depart for Holland on Friday.

All players from last season squad with contracts are returning. Additionally the following last season loaners have been invited to pre-season training: Kitsiou, Charisis, Chatziisaia, Henrique, Mystakidis and Lambrou.

 Our first pre-seson game is next Tuesdsay against gent's U23 team.

[Bananas]

It'll be interesting to see how Henrique is assessed by Lucescu.  Lambrou also.  The rest I can't see making the cut.

[Yiankos]

And I guess Jaba -if for real is ours- didn't come to be loaned out...

[pash]

Lamprou is pretty certain to be loaned out from what I understand. If we get a new winger in, then Mistakidis will be loaned as well, I'm sure. Henrique may still stick around, as we have made no moves on Mak and need to replace him.

Wingers: Campos - Limnios - Henrique - Mistakidis - Lamprou - Jaba(??)

+ El Kaddouri, Biseswar and Pelkas, who can play on the wings. And Vieirinha of course.

Four or five wingers are probably appropriate. I wouldn't be surprised if the final decision is made only after we qualify for the group stage (hopefully CL, but at least EL). May as well keep the options open until we know how many games we'll have to play, after all.

[Dutch Eagle]

First training today. Only Prijo (WC) and Pedro Henrique (arriving tonight from Brazil with permission) missed this one.