A Beacon of Hope

A Beacon of Hope

By Antonios Theodosis



Over the summer I wrote about the possibility of Panathinaikos finding a new home at the proposed Votanikos district and how I wanted the club to renovate Leoforos instead. Well here we are months later and the project has been approved and all of the paperwork has been signed. I have had a change of heart since I wrote my initial piece over the summer and realize that while Leoforos is historical and important to Panathinaikos’ roots, it is time that the club move somewhere more modern.

 

As much as it pains me as a fan to see Panathinaikos leave its spiritual home I know that logically it is for the better. Moving to a more modern stadium will open up many more doors of opportunity for our club, from potential investors, to attracting players, and expanding the overall revenue the club will be able to pocket through ticket sales and not having to pay expensive rent. These are just some of the basic factors that will improve the club’s situation by moving to a new stadium.

 

If we look at things at face value and call a spade a spade the fact of the matter is that Leoforos is a very old stadium. It is rich with history of course, but it is old, tired, and beat down by 2020’s standard. We pride ourselves with the rich history of the club, but unfortunately the game has changed and we need to keep up or we will be left behind. Every club playing European football throughout the various leagues on the continent has a modern, state of the art stadium. If the club is to return to its former glory and get back into the Champions League playing against some of Europe’s very best teams, it wouldn’t be a very good look playing in the old stadium as much as it pains me to say.

 

Look at this Votanikos project as a beacon of hope in a period of darkness for the club. Things have been bad for a long time now at Panathinaikos and maybe a change of scenery is needed to kickstart something positive for the green side of Athens again. As fans of the club we find ourselves ruminating and living in the past, we cling to Leoforos and hold onto it because it holds the keys to our memorable past, but maybe it is holding the club back and it is time that we look towards the future and embrace the change. Change is in the Panathinaikos DNA, the club has historically been progressive in that it hasn’t been afraid to bring about change if it meant success. The reluctance to move to a new stadium should not be something holding us back as it will hinder the chances of the club getting out of this dark, stagnant period.

 

Moving to Votanikos should be something organic, we shouldn’t push it away, but look at it as the next opportunity for the club to write a new page in its history books. I have high hopes for the club’s future. The approval to go ahead with Votanikos is that metaphorical beacon of light I see out on a stormy sea. I look to better days ahead, to success, to good football, and to Votanikos, our new home.


Hellas Football 


Follow @antoniostheo on Instagram 

 

(Image Borrowed From Wikipedia)

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