Thursday, June 24, 2010
Rehhagel resigns after World Cup exit
It didn't take long after Greece's exit from the World Cup but as expected Otto Rehhagel resigned as national team coach and the search for his successor is on. The Greek FA now have under 3 months to find a replacement before qualifying starts in September for the European Championships. Now the question on all Greeks minds is what ripple effect will this have within the squad. A number of aging veterans look to have played their last game for the national side in Polokwane against Argentina. Loyalty will be put aside with a new coach stepping in, thus giving some of the younger players the chance to crack the first team. In 9 years Rehhagel took the team from soccer obscurity into the limelight. In one of his first games in charge he almost provided a shocking victory at Wembley, which would have ended England's hopes of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup; only a trademark David Beckham free kick in injury time ruined the fairytale start for Rehhagel. The team jumped from 57th (2001) to 18th (2004) in 3 years under the German, his biggest achievement coming in Portugal by lifting the European Cup. All Greeks have a soft spot for Rehhagel and will be forever grateful for the success he brought to the team and the nation, however everyone has come to realize a change is needed after results have became stagnate. Players like Seiteridis, Karagounis, Katsouranis and Charisteas will make way for the new breed and hopefully this will revitalize the squad for a strong qualifying campaign for Euro 2012. Reports out of Greece state a coach will be in place in time for the friendly vs. Serbia on August 15th. The three names being floated around are Nikos Nioplias (former Greek U-21 coach), Dusan Bajevic (current AEK Athens coach) and Fernando Santos (former Benfica & PAOK coach). The latter is the early favorite to take over for Rehhagel but nothing has been confirmed. One thing is certain; Greece will have a different look and style of play come qualifying and hopefully can build on the foundation laid down by King Otto.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
World Cup dream ends for Greece
As the referee blew the final whistle in Polokwane Tuesday night, Greece's elimination from the World Cup was confirmed. Naturally my disappointment was evident, as were the many other Greek supporters who watched the game in various cafés, bars and houses around the world. However this time I was proud of the performance displayed on the pitch. The team did what they had to, and that was put up a defensive wall and look to strike on the counter attack.
Despite Diego Maradona making 7 changes to his starting lineup the Greeks were outclassed by a superior opponent. From the opening kick Argentina were in control and trying to breakdown the ruthless line of defense Otto Rehhagel had set up. Diego Milito and Sergio Aguero provided the offence for the Albiceleste with the ever present Lionel Messi pulling the strings from the right side. It seemed like the Greeks had everyone behind the ball content on defending, with Georgios Samaras playing as the lone striker. Possession was almost 70% in favor of Argentina but Messi and Co. found it very difficult to penetrate the back line. Sokratis Papastathopoulos did very well shadowing Messi and limiting his scoring threat. But the greatest footballer on the planet still found ways to work his magic, creating multiple opportunities throughout the game. My man of the match goes to Alexandros Tzorvas, displaying a string of outstanding saves to keep Greek hopes alive. His form was vital if Greece had any chances of making the next round. Tzorvas produced a handful of fantastic saves inside his 18 yard box, robbing Argentina of the early lead. The end result doesn't give justice to the fine performance he produced.
Hopes were high after the first half ended goalless, Rehhagel's defensive fortress so far was able to withstand Maradona's offensive onslaught. Argentina looked frustrated trying to weave through the minimal space provided. Messi was on the wrong side of some hard challenges that although clean and legal were being questioned by Maradona on the sidelines, even going as far as flashing invisible cards in the referee's direction looking for the booking. Some bad luck hit the starting line-up for Greece as Giorgio Karagounis, Kostas Katsouranis and Vasilis Torosidis all had to be subbed off due to injury within 10 minutes of the second half, but the team stuck to the game plan and pushed through and defended as a unit. Samaras provided the only real scoring chance for Greece when he got behind the defence only to have his initial shot blocked and sending his rebound wide of the post. A key moment in the game which could have provided the shift in momentum needed for a Greek victory. That was it offensively for the blue and white after that missed chance, Argentina kept pressing and a goal seemed imminent.
News kept filtering in about the other group game and my emotions resembled a rollercoaster, the constant up and down was too much to bear. Unlike in Portugal, the stars wouldn't align to produce a miracle result for Greece; all hope was lost in the 77th minute when Martin Demichelis scored to put La Albiceleste in front for good. The defence couldn't clear the corner kick and Tzorvas was hung out to dry as the loose ball was smashed into the back of the net by Demichelis. The entire cafe I was watching the game in deflated as the ball crossed the line, although no one was screaming obscenities and blaming players, which normally follows a poor result. Simply put, Greece was outclassed and did well to stay in the game for as long as they did. If nothing else showed the remaining teams a system capable of beating the strong Argentines. All I asked for was a solid performance for 90 minutes, and if elimination followed oh well. Greeks could still be proud and hold our heads up high, and the team did exactly that.
Greece's World Cup campaign in South Africa lasted only 10 days; roughly what all the experts predicted would happen. A terrible opening performance was the team’s downfall; a result was needed against South Korea. A great comeback against Nigeria followed with the team capitalizing on the Super Eagles misfortunes. But needing points from Argentina was always going to be a tall order. Report's have surfaced stating Rehhagel intends to step down as coach but nothing has yet to be confirmed. The national team has made tremendous strides under the leadership of the German in nine years, but after winning the Euro Cup the results have been mixed at best. If Rehhagel steps down the Greek FA have under 3 months to appoint a replacement before qualification for Euro 2012 begins. Going forward with a fresh outlook and system is a must, the addition of promising youth players with the departure of some aging veterans will only help push Greece into a positive direction for the future.
Despite Diego Maradona making 7 changes to his starting lineup the Greeks were outclassed by a superior opponent. From the opening kick Argentina were in control and trying to breakdown the ruthless line of defense Otto Rehhagel had set up. Diego Milito and Sergio Aguero provided the offence for the Albiceleste with the ever present Lionel Messi pulling the strings from the right side. It seemed like the Greeks had everyone behind the ball content on defending, with Georgios Samaras playing as the lone striker. Possession was almost 70% in favor of Argentina but Messi and Co. found it very difficult to penetrate the back line. Sokratis Papastathopoulos did very well shadowing Messi and limiting his scoring threat. But the greatest footballer on the planet still found ways to work his magic, creating multiple opportunities throughout the game. My man of the match goes to Alexandros Tzorvas, displaying a string of outstanding saves to keep Greek hopes alive. His form was vital if Greece had any chances of making the next round. Tzorvas produced a handful of fantastic saves inside his 18 yard box, robbing Argentina of the early lead. The end result doesn't give justice to the fine performance he produced.
Hopes were high after the first half ended goalless, Rehhagel's defensive fortress so far was able to withstand Maradona's offensive onslaught. Argentina looked frustrated trying to weave through the minimal space provided. Messi was on the wrong side of some hard challenges that although clean and legal were being questioned by Maradona on the sidelines, even going as far as flashing invisible cards in the referee's direction looking for the booking. Some bad luck hit the starting line-up for Greece as Giorgio Karagounis, Kostas Katsouranis and Vasilis Torosidis all had to be subbed off due to injury within 10 minutes of the second half, but the team stuck to the game plan and pushed through and defended as a unit. Samaras provided the only real scoring chance for Greece when he got behind the defence only to have his initial shot blocked and sending his rebound wide of the post. A key moment in the game which could have provided the shift in momentum needed for a Greek victory. That was it offensively for the blue and white after that missed chance, Argentina kept pressing and a goal seemed imminent.
News kept filtering in about the other group game and my emotions resembled a rollercoaster, the constant up and down was too much to bear. Unlike in Portugal, the stars wouldn't align to produce a miracle result for Greece; all hope was lost in the 77th minute when Martin Demichelis scored to put La Albiceleste in front for good. The defence couldn't clear the corner kick and Tzorvas was hung out to dry as the loose ball was smashed into the back of the net by Demichelis. The entire cafe I was watching the game in deflated as the ball crossed the line, although no one was screaming obscenities and blaming players, which normally follows a poor result. Simply put, Greece was outclassed and did well to stay in the game for as long as they did. If nothing else showed the remaining teams a system capable of beating the strong Argentines. All I asked for was a solid performance for 90 minutes, and if elimination followed oh well. Greeks could still be proud and hold our heads up high, and the team did exactly that.
Greece's World Cup campaign in South Africa lasted only 10 days; roughly what all the experts predicted would happen. A terrible opening performance was the team’s downfall; a result was needed against South Korea. A great comeback against Nigeria followed with the team capitalizing on the Super Eagles misfortunes. But needing points from Argentina was always going to be a tall order. Report's have surfaced stating Rehhagel intends to step down as coach but nothing has yet to be confirmed. The national team has made tremendous strides under the leadership of the German in nine years, but after winning the Euro Cup the results have been mixed at best. If Rehhagel steps down the Greek FA have under 3 months to appoint a replacement before qualification for Euro 2012 begins. Going forward with a fresh outlook and system is a must, the addition of promising youth players with the departure of some aging veterans will only help push Greece into a positive direction for the future.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Preview: Argentina vs. Greece
The deck is clearly stacked against Greece progressing to the knockout round. The aim coming into South Africa was clear; don’t go into the game against Argentina needing a result for qualification. But after the humiliating defeat in the opener, Diego Maradona's Albiceleste stand in the way. Anything short of a miracle will be needed to sneak out a victory, a combined team performance is crucial. Greece possesses the capability of playing the type of game needed and have proved in the past able to topple stronger opposition. The win vs. Nigeria has done wonders on lifting the team’s confidence and hopefully Otto Rehhagel will select the right starting XI to frustrate Argentina. Also mistakes must be taken out entirely, all three of the goals allowed by Greece were horrible errors, and the players need to keep their focus for the full ninety minutes and not giveaway silly fouls.
Alexandros Tzorvas will be on the hot seat and have his hands full trying to keep the ball out of his goal. Just like Antonios Nikopolidis did in Portugal six years ago, Tzorvas form will have to be perfect in order for Greece to get a positive result. His blunder against Nigeria would be near suicide if it were to happen against Argentina. He looked visibly shaken after the goal and took a while to settle down. Despite the early set-back he did make a great breakaway save in the second half kept Greek hopes alive and pushed the team forward to score the winner later on. It's open for debate which players Maradona decides to rest on Tuesday; since Argentina have qualified we might find the likes of Messi, Tevez and Higuain on the bench. But the squad has a tremendous amount of depth in attack; Sergio Aguero and Diego Milito are just as dangerous and probably will start since they have been used sparingly so far by the Argentine coach. Judging from last game, Sokratis Papastathopoulos will likely play in front of the back four and will take the majority of the responsibility in stifling the Albiceleste attack. Sotirios Krygiakos played well against Nigeria and should get the start at the back; he lacks pace but makes up for it with his desire and physicality. He reads the game well and wins majority of the aerial balls in the defensive zone and can be a threat in the opponent’s 18 yard box on set pieces.
All the stars must align for Greece to pull out a win. Even if Maradona rests some of his star men, Argentina have good depth and will still be dangerous. With everyone counting them out the pressure is off as they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. A promising position the Greeks know all to well. Plus the team seems to play better with their backs against the wall. The World Cup has already provided a handful of upsets so why not one more? A more realistic outcome would be to hold out for a tie and hope Nigeria can beat South Korea. The World Cup curse was broken last Thursday and a heavy burden has been lifted off the team’s shoulders. I’m going against the grain with my prediction and will put my money on the underdog. Admittedly being Greek has a little to do with it, but we saw how Argentina can get caught on the counter attack pushing too many men forward, Nigeria were very unlucky not to score against them in the opener. Also Maradona isn't the greatest coach and can be outplayed tactically by Rehhagel, which would help silence all the critics calling for the German's resignation. Provided Greece play a flawless defensive system a shock result is a possibility.
Prediction: Greece wins 1-0
Alexandros Tzorvas will be on the hot seat and have his hands full trying to keep the ball out of his goal. Just like Antonios Nikopolidis did in Portugal six years ago, Tzorvas form will have to be perfect in order for Greece to get a positive result. His blunder against Nigeria would be near suicide if it were to happen against Argentina. He looked visibly shaken after the goal and took a while to settle down. Despite the early set-back he did make a great breakaway save in the second half kept Greek hopes alive and pushed the team forward to score the winner later on. It's open for debate which players Maradona decides to rest on Tuesday; since Argentina have qualified we might find the likes of Messi, Tevez and Higuain on the bench. But the squad has a tremendous amount of depth in attack; Sergio Aguero and Diego Milito are just as dangerous and probably will start since they have been used sparingly so far by the Argentine coach. Judging from last game, Sokratis Papastathopoulos will likely play in front of the back four and will take the majority of the responsibility in stifling the Albiceleste attack. Sotirios Krygiakos played well against Nigeria and should get the start at the back; he lacks pace but makes up for it with his desire and physicality. He reads the game well and wins majority of the aerial balls in the defensive zone and can be a threat in the opponent’s 18 yard box on set pieces.
All the stars must align for Greece to pull out a win. Even if Maradona rests some of his star men, Argentina have good depth and will still be dangerous. With everyone counting them out the pressure is off as they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. A promising position the Greeks know all to well. Plus the team seems to play better with their backs against the wall. The World Cup has already provided a handful of upsets so why not one more? A more realistic outcome would be to hold out for a tie and hope Nigeria can beat South Korea. The World Cup curse was broken last Thursday and a heavy burden has been lifted off the team’s shoulders. I’m going against the grain with my prediction and will put my money on the underdog. Admittedly being Greek has a little to do with it, but we saw how Argentina can get caught on the counter attack pushing too many men forward, Nigeria were very unlucky not to score against them in the opener. Also Maradona isn't the greatest coach and can be outplayed tactically by Rehhagel, which would help silence all the critics calling for the German's resignation. Provided Greece play a flawless defensive system a shock result is a possibility.
Prediction: Greece wins 1-0
Friday, June 18, 2010
Greece break their World Cup curse and keeps hope alive
As I was sitting in my usual cafe in Toronto's Greek town waiting for the game to start, streams of people were filing in trying to find a seat. Blue and white was the dominant colour, chants could be heard coming out of every establishment along the Danforth. I promised myself not to get drawn into the euphoria and keep my expectations low. All I wanted to see was the starting line-up, and fingers crossed Otto Rehhagel will put out a starting XI capable of causing problems for Nigeria.
When the line-up flashed on the screen I noticed that the team was intent of fighting to the bitter end and leaving nothing in the tank. Sotiris Krygiakos got the start but as a right back. Sokratis Papastathopoulos was a great addition as the holding midfielder directly in front of the back four. Kostas Katsouranis and Girogos Karagounis also started and were looking to make up for their poor effort in the opener. I was sad to see Sotiris Ninis on the bench, however the sight of Dimitrios Salpingidis made me breath easy. Rehhagel was holding nothing back and slowly my optimism grew.
The game started with energy and Greece were pushing early just like in the opener. Much of the possession was theirs but again lacked that final ball to threaten the Nigerians. Just when I felt things could be turning around my heart sank. A bad back pass by Loukas Vyntra forced Sokratis Papastathopoulos to commit the foul. Kale Uche's ensuing free kick opened the scoring after fooling Alexandros Tzorvas early in the half. Peter Odemwingie helped by dummying the cross, which sent Tzorvas the opposite way, but the Greek keeper's gaffe dug the hole even deeper. Another silly mistake was Greece's undoing once more; the supporters now started losing their cool as are hopes were slowly evaporating. I couldn't see a way back for Greece.
I love this game for many reasons, momentum can shift quickly and a moment of madness can be any teams downfall. Unfortunately for the Super Eagles that instant came in the 33rd minute. Sani Keita was sent off for kicking out at Vassili Torosidis; the crowd erupted with joy. Every team needs a little bit of luck and finally Greece caught a break. A quick sub followed as Georgios Samaras entered the game to add to the attack and after that happened the game quickly shifted. Finally Greece was on the offensive and were creating chances all over the pitch. After being criticized for their poor play in the first game; Giorgos Karagoounis and Kostas Katsouranis seemed like different players. The service they provided from midfield was instrumental. Only a save by Vincent Enyeama and a clearance off the goal line by Lukmaan Haruna kept Greece from scoring, but we could all feel something was about to happen.
The long wait was over; Dimitrios Salpingidis became the first Greek to score at the World Cup, beating Enyeama on a deflected shot late in the second half. The place erupted; people were hugging and even crying tears of joy. After having to endure all the jokes from friends about not being able to score and being the worst team at the World Cup, when that ball crossed the line I felt relieved. From that moment on Greece were in control and dictated the pace of the game. Another goal was needed and the players responded to the pressure by pinning Nigeria in their own half and bombarding the net with chances. If it wasn't for Vincent Enyeama the score line could have been worse. The Super Eagles had one good chance and it came on the counter after Theofanis Gekas was robbed of a goal in close. Greece were caught pushing everyone forward and on the breakout Yakubu was denied by Tzorvas, but the rebound fell to Chinedu Ogbuke who missed an open net. Greece continued to press and everyone was on the edge of his or her seat hoping for a winner. The prayers of all Greeks were answered midway into the second half, Enyeama spilled a low shot by Alexandros Tziolis and Torosidis scored on the rebound. Greek town went bananas, a huge weight was instantly lifted and hope was restored, Greece was back in the tournament.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Preview: Greece vs. Nigeria
My expectations on seeing change in Greece's lineup and tactics Thursday against Nigeria are minimal at best. The spirits of the supporters are down but the players remain up beat, which is a positive sign. It’s going to be an uphill battle for the Greeks, moral within the camp is surprisingly high but the quality on the pitch must match. Nigeria was really impressive in the loss to Argentina, holding one of the favorites to a single goal in the opener. Much of the credit goes to keeper Vincent Enyeama's star studded performance, coming up with spectacular saves that kept the Super Eagles alive.
Waking up Thursday morning to see the starting XI include Sotiris Ninis, Dimitrios Salpingidis and Sotirios Krygiakos would help ease the nerves already beginning to fester. That would show Otto Rehhagel has decided to play for the victory and that Greece will throw caution to the wind. One more loss for either country will knock them out of the competition; both need a win to revive their World Cup ambitions. Another goalless loss will be devastating to Greek football after having such high hopes 6 years ago. I agree expectations are extremely high after winning the European Cup and a generous FIFA ranking (#13) doesn't help ease the pressure. For the first time my expectations are low, deployed to ease the blow I normally feel right after witnessing a gut wrenching loss. After seeing how Lars Lagerback's squad played against Maradona's Argentina, how can Greece's lack of offence compare to the juggernaut which peppered the Nigerian goal? My heart says Greece but my brain screams the opposite, luckily this is football and anything can happen.
Reports in the media suggest the players will go all out for the victory on Thursday as it's now or never, but Rehhagel's cautious tactical approach might prove to cut short Greece's tournament. Not having a superstar caliber player is no excuse to play uninspired football, something the German coach is trying to imply in recent interviews. It's fine to play defensive but you can't forget the other side of the game, eventually a goal is needed to earn the victory. Theofanis Gekas needs help up front, and shouldn't be expected to produce chances out of thin air. I wouldn’t mind seeing Georgios Samaras given the second strikers role where he can be more effective rather then out on the wing.
An early goal will certainly boost the player’s confidence, breaking the curse of scoring that elusive first goal at the World Cup can revive Greek hopes. The fans deserve to watch their heroes perform at the highest level, to do so the best players need to be on the field. The results so far in South Africa have been difficult to predict; Greece have the potential to win on Thursday if they go after the game. Sitting back to absorb pressure and trying to catch Nigeria on the counter won't work. Naturally I will go with my heart and pick Greece. Despite all the analysis, facts and stats I've looked at for the past five days, the Greeks were embarrassed by the Koreans and will want to prove all their critics wrong.
Prediction: Greece win 2-1
Waking up Thursday morning to see the starting XI include Sotiris Ninis, Dimitrios Salpingidis and Sotirios Krygiakos would help ease the nerves already beginning to fester. That would show Otto Rehhagel has decided to play for the victory and that Greece will throw caution to the wind. One more loss for either country will knock them out of the competition; both need a win to revive their World Cup ambitions. Another goalless loss will be devastating to Greek football after having such high hopes 6 years ago. I agree expectations are extremely high after winning the European Cup and a generous FIFA ranking (#13) doesn't help ease the pressure. For the first time my expectations are low, deployed to ease the blow I normally feel right after witnessing a gut wrenching loss. After seeing how Lars Lagerback's squad played against Maradona's Argentina, how can Greece's lack of offence compare to the juggernaut which peppered the Nigerian goal? My heart says Greece but my brain screams the opposite, luckily this is football and anything can happen.
Reports in the media suggest the players will go all out for the victory on Thursday as it's now or never, but Rehhagel's cautious tactical approach might prove to cut short Greece's tournament. Not having a superstar caliber player is no excuse to play uninspired football, something the German coach is trying to imply in recent interviews. It's fine to play defensive but you can't forget the other side of the game, eventually a goal is needed to earn the victory. Theofanis Gekas needs help up front, and shouldn't be expected to produce chances out of thin air. I wouldn’t mind seeing Georgios Samaras given the second strikers role where he can be more effective rather then out on the wing.
An early goal will certainly boost the player’s confidence, breaking the curse of scoring that elusive first goal at the World Cup can revive Greek hopes. The fans deserve to watch their heroes perform at the highest level, to do so the best players need to be on the field. The results so far in South Africa have been difficult to predict; Greece have the potential to win on Thursday if they go after the game. Sitting back to absorb pressure and trying to catch Nigeria on the counter won't work. Naturally I will go with my heart and pick Greece. Despite all the analysis, facts and stats I've looked at for the past five days, the Greeks were embarrassed by the Koreans and will want to prove all their critics wrong.
Prediction: Greece win 2-1
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Has Rehhagel become Greece's Achilles Heal?
Defence can only take you so far. It's goals that win games, and unfortunately Greece is missing that spark to ignite the offence. Looking lost and confused the Greeks stumbled to an embarrassing loss to South Korea at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, taking their tally to 4 games without a goal at the World Cup.
Without any creativity and speed in the midfield the team is forced to play a long ball style of game, defenders just punt the ball up the pitch; the forwards are then expected to create chances without any support. A huge hole exists where the midfield is supposed to be found. Otto Rehhagel's insistence on starting his slow aging veterans from Euro 2004 is the reason for Greece's failure in attack; by leaving players like Sotiris Ninis on the bench for the entire game was a big blunder. His pace and creativity was needed against South Korea. Dimitrios Salpingidis was the best player for Greece by far in the opener, and he only played 30 minutes coming on as a sub. Unless a change is made vs. Nigeria, the result will be the same.
Angelos Charisteas' best days are behind him, clearly lacking the speed needed to cause problems. He is a one trick pony and a sub at best. Same goes for captain Giorgos Karagounis, only caring about taking all the set pieces and never tracking back. Kostas Katsouranis is another one of Rehhagel's golden XI, he was mainly responsible for the opening goal allowed vs. South Korea; completely mistiming the header to clear the free-kick. The reliance on out of form players is Rehhagel’s mistake. Sotiris Kyrgiakos exclusion from the line-up also made me wonder what exactly Rehhagel was thinking, his size would have provided an added weapon in the air on offence and his physical style of play was needed desperately on the defensive end. The German coach needs to put his best players on the pitch right from the start and forget about pleasing the players who won him the Euro Cup, loyalty has to be set aside for the greater good.
Shouts can already be heard for Rehhagel's resignation back in Greece. The miraculous run in Portugal aside, the team hasn't really built on their success and failed to live up to lofty expectations since.. Simply put, Rehhagel has failed to get the best out of his players and deploys his usual defensive minded tactics that won't catch anyone by surprise anymore. Naturally the Greeks lack star quality, their isn't a player on the roster who can single handedly change the outcome of a game. A combined team effort is needed; but you can't expect to improve by playing the same tired system. This is the main reason Greece hasn't been able to build on the success of '04. An embarrasing 2006 World Cup qualifying campaing followed, then the team endured a dreadfull defense of their crown in 2008. In all competitions the common deneominator was the lack of fresh faces who could make a difference and breath new life into the squad. Once again the starting XI, formations and tactics stayed the same; and so did the results for Greece.
The writing is on the wall, Greece will need a miracle to get past the group stage and unfortunately they used up all that magic in 2004 when they caught everyone by surprise. To move forward positvely the team needs a change and Rehhagel stands defiant to making them on the pitch, so the next step is an obvious one. All Greeks are grateful for all that the German has accomplished for the country, but its time for a new outlook and a fresh start. Its been 6 years and you can make the arguement the national team is going down the wrong path and getting worse. Qualification is not enough anymore, Greek fans deserve to see quality on the pitch when it counts, the supporters deserve better. I believe we have the players capable of elevating the team, they just need a chance to do so. The past won't be forgotten, the Greek Gods of Lisbon will always have their place in history, after all it was them who put Greece on the footballing map. The recent influx of foreiners in the Greek Super League is proof of this; add to that the amount of Greeks playing abroad, the future is looking bright. But its now time for the old guard to step aside and let the new blood come through the ranks. Only then will Greece reach their full potential.
Without any creativity and speed in the midfield the team is forced to play a long ball style of game, defenders just punt the ball up the pitch; the forwards are then expected to create chances without any support. A huge hole exists where the midfield is supposed to be found. Otto Rehhagel's insistence on starting his slow aging veterans from Euro 2004 is the reason for Greece's failure in attack; by leaving players like Sotiris Ninis on the bench for the entire game was a big blunder. His pace and creativity was needed against South Korea. Dimitrios Salpingidis was the best player for Greece by far in the opener, and he only played 30 minutes coming on as a sub. Unless a change is made vs. Nigeria, the result will be the same.
Angelos Charisteas' best days are behind him, clearly lacking the speed needed to cause problems. He is a one trick pony and a sub at best. Same goes for captain Giorgos Karagounis, only caring about taking all the set pieces and never tracking back. Kostas Katsouranis is another one of Rehhagel's golden XI, he was mainly responsible for the opening goal allowed vs. South Korea; completely mistiming the header to clear the free-kick. The reliance on out of form players is Rehhagel’s mistake. Sotiris Kyrgiakos exclusion from the line-up also made me wonder what exactly Rehhagel was thinking, his size would have provided an added weapon in the air on offence and his physical style of play was needed desperately on the defensive end. The German coach needs to put his best players on the pitch right from the start and forget about pleasing the players who won him the Euro Cup, loyalty has to be set aside for the greater good.
Shouts can already be heard for Rehhagel's resignation back in Greece. The miraculous run in Portugal aside, the team hasn't really built on their success and failed to live up to lofty expectations since.. Simply put, Rehhagel has failed to get the best out of his players and deploys his usual defensive minded tactics that won't catch anyone by surprise anymore. Naturally the Greeks lack star quality, their isn't a player on the roster who can single handedly change the outcome of a game. A combined team effort is needed; but you can't expect to improve by playing the same tired system. This is the main reason Greece hasn't been able to build on the success of '04. An embarrasing 2006 World Cup qualifying campaing followed, then the team endured a dreadfull defense of their crown in 2008. In all competitions the common deneominator was the lack of fresh faces who could make a difference and breath new life into the squad. Once again the starting XI, formations and tactics stayed the same; and so did the results for Greece.
The writing is on the wall, Greece will need a miracle to get past the group stage and unfortunately they used up all that magic in 2004 when they caught everyone by surprise. To move forward positvely the team needs a change and Rehhagel stands defiant to making them on the pitch, so the next step is an obvious one. All Greeks are grateful for all that the German has accomplished for the country, but its time for a new outlook and a fresh start. Its been 6 years and you can make the arguement the national team is going down the wrong path and getting worse. Qualification is not enough anymore, Greek fans deserve to see quality on the pitch when it counts, the supporters deserve better. I believe we have the players capable of elevating the team, they just need a chance to do so. The past won't be forgotten, the Greek Gods of Lisbon will always have their place in history, after all it was them who put Greece on the footballing map. The recent influx of foreiners in the Greek Super League is proof of this; add to that the amount of Greeks playing abroad, the future is looking bright. But its now time for the old guard to step aside and let the new blood come through the ranks. Only then will Greece reach their full potential.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Greek's voice frustration as hopes dwindle
It's tough feeling optimistic after witnessing the disaster which was Greece's opening game. Not that Greek fan's had anything to be optimistic about after team's terrible display in the warm-up matches leading up to the World Cup. But for some reason we were all blinded by our patriotism and thought with our hearts instead of our heads. The economic crises hit the country hard; everyone hoped a good run in South Africa could lift the spirits of the entire nation and all Greeks living abroad. After watching the national team's uninspired performance against South Korea, the fans hopes of getting out of the group are all but extinguished. Across the globe, most Greeks have the same opinion about what the problem is, and that’s the team selection of coach Otto Rehhagel. Personally upon seeing his starting XI, I was left scratching my head at all the talent that was left on the bench. How can you start out of form players who don’t have the speed or creativity to challenge the Koreans fast hard working style? That's a question only Rehhagel can answer; here’s hoping he does so against Nigeria. I watched the game on the Danforth; Greek town in Toronto, the mood was upbeat to start and quickly deteriorated. Shouts of anger could be heard coming out of all the cafes and pubs. The players looked slow and lethargic, often lost by the speed of the game, having all kinds of possession but not being able to muster up a decent scoring chance. Teammates were even seen arguing on the pitch as frustrations mounted. It was almost like USA '94 all over again, fans had nothing to cheer for all game, which dampened the mood even further. Greek's are very proud, even in defeat we would put on a brave face and support our team till the end, all us fans ask for in return is a positive effort and to work hard for the full ninety minutes; unfortunately that didn't happen on Saturday. The team deserved to lose and I’m surprised the score line wasn't worse. Flags still flew high as fans exited the cafes and pubs; frustration was the dominant emotion on display by the thousands littered on the street. The only positive coming out of the opener is the team can't play any worse (hopefully). Winning against Nigeria is a must but won't come easy; both teams need a win at this point after opening the tournament with a loss. Despite losing the Super Eagles looked impressive against Argentina and will make things difficult for Greece. A result is then needed against Argentina if Greece has any shot of making the knockout rounds. The Greek tally now stands at four games played at the World Cup, four losses and zero goals scored! Rehhagel must answer his many critics and produce a positive outcome moving forward, or he might find himself looking for a job as calls for his resignation will be on the lips of all Greeks.
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