Young Greek Talent Abroad To Look Out For
With all this, the Greek youngsters & their agents are simply just being smarter about their careers (for the most part at least) then they have been in the past. One example is you'll see someone like Olympiakos' Left Back Tsimikas going on loan last season to a Dutch team in the first division which greatly improved his game, while others like Kampetsis left Borussia Dortmund for Panathinaikos this summer simply just to play more. Before most talented Greek kids (17-20 years old) aside for a few exceptions would hardly ever play any first team games with their club teams which would often completely ruin their development and possibly even destroying their careers unfortunately. Now with youngsters knowing how important it is to play and develop you'll see less players ruining their careers on the benches. Add to all this the huge competition in Europe to find good and inexpensive talent (that's Greece), and you could see how this has helped the talented youngsters.
Here's some players in various leagues across Europe to keep an eye on.
*For this I'm leaving out Tasos Donis, Panagiotis Retsos, and Kostas Stafylidis as they're essentially first team players as well as all the talent still playing in the Greek leagues.
Antonis Stergiakis GK (Slavia Sofia) - Even though he's still only 19 he's already had 3 years playing in the first division and a Bulgarian title for one of Bulgaria's top teams in Slavia Sofia as their #1 goalkeeper. Having left Aris at only 15 to go play there it clearly shows he believes in himself and why not when he's 6'5 and has all the reflexes required to cover lots of space required in today's football. A Greek Under 21 International and with many of the top Italian teams on his trail, regardless of all the top talent we have at the position these days we'll likely hear more of this kid Stergiakis in the near future.
Konstantinos Mavropanos CB (Arsenal) - Dinos as he's also known has made a pretty big splash moving from mid table club Pas Giannina in Greece straight to Arsenal last January. A move that for me is the best example of how any Greek player that's talented will get noticed so long as they work hard and can prove themselves(A good agent & connections don't hurt though of course). Still Mavropanos for anyone that watched him last season either at Pas Giannina or Arsenal could see that his dominance in the air as well as his sound tackling and reading of the game will take him a long way in his career, something that everyone saw for themselves in one of his first matches for Arsenal vs Manchester United last season. This season he's struggled with injuries but the recent interest from teams like Sevilla & other German teams asking for him on loan shows that his performances have been recognized around Europe.
Giorgos Antzoulas CB/Midfielder (Fiorentina) - A player that's been well known among scouts after a brilliant performance in wins versus Germany and Spain at under 17 level for Greece and with the Guardian voting him in as one of the top 60 talents in the world
Last season having barely just turned 18 he made his debut for Asteras Tripolis against Atromitos in the Greek Cup (pictured below). Thrown right into the fire with his team already down to ten men, and him having to cover the midfield mostly by himself he showed he's ready for big things early in his career, controlling the ball brilliantly, his precision passing, and his great technique (think Ajax's Frank De Jong) yet also creating his teams best chance he showed what he's capable of, so much so that Fiorentina this summer took him on loan with a 2.5 Mil option to buy him. Something that now looks likely despite the big fee with him already training with the first team, scoring big goals (Two in the last month), and having been voted into the academy team of the week(Usually plays as a CB in Italy so far) twice in a month recently in Italy's youth league. The only thing left is for him to make his debut which would automatically make him a Fiorentina player (According to the deal).
Ilias Koutsoupias Midfielder (Bologna) - A midfielder that can do it all, score goals, pass the ball flawlessly as well as be tactically aware and in the right positions something that's definitely been a big benefit of having moved to Italy at only 16 years old. So much so that his skills at Entella's U19 team in the second division last season drew enough interest for him to make the move to Bologna over the summer. Since then he's continued to impress having trained with the Bologna first team many times and drawn heavy interest from some of the top Italian clubs including Roma and Ac Milan recently. Finally playing for the Greek Under 19's I believe It's only a matter of time before we see eventually see him in the first team for Greece.
Some highlights of his to get an idea: Ilias Koutsoupias Highlights
Giorgos Vrakas Attacking Midfielder (Napoli) - A natural #10 with great technique, having been the second youngest debutant in PAOK's history last year at 16 years old and (7 months) alongside names such as PAOK legend Koudas his talent was there for all to see last season. Unfortunately after having some conflict with PAOK's under 21 coach Garcia he choose to move on, and Napoli where quick to acquire him. Since then he's had many appearances in the Champions League youth games which I'm sure will only help his development.
Christian Vasilakis Striker (Real Madrid) - A natural striker leading Real Madrid's third team in goals at the moment, something that clearly wouldn't go unnoticed with any National Team let alone Greece's. Spanish born but able to play with Greece through his father (Or Grandpa specifically who still lives in Kerkyra) he's already started his paperwork to get his Greek citizenship which judging by his form this season and his talent couldn't come soon enough.
Here's a look at his 4 goals scored within 20 minutes (Which is a record at youth level for Real Madrid)
A few others worth keeping an eye on:
Nemanja Milojevic Midfielder/Winger (FK Vojvodina)- Greek born but with Serbian roots he decided to play for Greece when called up by both countries recently, a decision he said he preferred to keep between himself and his family but judging by his strong performances in the Serbian league this season might become a bigger story soon.
Some highlights of his two goal performance in a win earlier this season: Nemanja Milojevic Highlights
Lazaros Labrou Winger (Fortuna Sittard)- With four goals and a few assists in fourteen games already this season his loan spell to Holland from PAOK has clearly been a success so far. A winger with pace and goals in him his talent has been recognized for years. At Panathinaikos or PAOK he never played much but the last few seasons on loan at Iraklis, Panionios, and now at Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch first division his development has clearly accelerated.
Pantelis Chatzidiakos CB (AZ Alkmaar) A tall natural Center Back that's been in and out of AZ Alkmaar's team this season, his technique and reading of the game show that he's got a bright future ahead of him. The fact that super agent Mino Raiola already has him as a client I think speaks for itself as well.
Vaggelis Pavlidis WInger (Borussia Dortumd) After a few years with FC Bochum and a few first team appearances with them having made the move there at 15, last summer he made the move to Borussia Dortmund where with all the talent there he's done well so far.
A Clip of a few of Pavlidis' goals recently: Vaggelis Pavlidis Highlights
Greek football has definitely taken a few steps backward the last few years but as shown with these kids here that the talented kids are finding a way to make a career for themselves despite the problems in the country even if it means going abroad, and I believe Greek football (Or more so the National Team) will be better for it in the end.
By Apo for Hellas Football.
Comments
Post a Comment