January Transfer Window Wrap Up
This window opened and closed and bar the usually flurry of free transfers left right and centre it was a quiet one at hand from the Big 4.
In this blog we take a look at the major players and rate the wok that was done.
PAOK
Gains - Karol Swiderski 4M, Sverrir Ingason 2M, Josip Misic, Sergio Oliviera (loans)
Departures - Alexandar Prijovic, 10M, Amr Warda, Stelios Kitsiou (loans)
Will the loss of key goal scoring machine Prijovic hurt them? So far it hasn't shown but with Olympiakos closing the gap that fire power will invariably be missing.
Still a strong and balanced squad with the new editions in the midfield and defence coming in, plus the likes of Akpom and Karelis now given more time they should be a strong force this second half of the season.
No European football but still in the Greek Cup so this could be the season PAOK finally win the league with most fans rightly or wrongly so already calling them the Champions elect.
Conclusion - No panic buys after the loss of Prijo with the club relying on the status quo to get the job done.
Olympiakos
Gains - Franco Soldano 1.1M, Georgios Masouras 400K, Gil Dias, Yuri Lodygin (loans)
Departures - Seba 300K, Giannis Fetfatzidis (free), Dimitris Nikolaou, Dimitris Manos, Giannis Masouras (loans)
Finally Olympiakos fans will appreciate a transfer window of minimal activity and shrewd purchases which haven't broken the bank with over the hill former name players. This has only raised the stocks of coach Pedro Martins who hasn't gone cap in hand to club owner Marinakis wanting player after player.
Playing great attacking football but cannot put teams away consistently. They have made some strategic purchases in attack which they will hope compliment the already talented squad they have. Still in European contention in the UEL so they will need to balance that along with the league and Greek Cup. Will it be enough to overtake a strong balanced PAOK side for the league? Time will tell.
Conclusion - As an Olympiakos fan, it has been a breathe of fresh air seeing long term planning rather than short term fixes happening.
AEK Athens
Gains - Marios Oikonomou 800K, Nenad Krsticic 500K, Anel Sabanadzovic 450K,
Departures - Georgios Giakoumakis, Erik Moran (loans)
Let a lot of players go without adequately replacing them which was always going to hurt the champions. They finished the year off poorly with player and club infighting, but from the outside looking in it seemed all had been resolved, they steadied the ship in January with minimal departures, and some key pick ups, went on a nice winning streak then coach Ouzounidis quit after the 1-1 draw with PAOK. Fan favourite and championship winning coach Manolo Jiminez is back for a third stint at the club but with him initially leaving due to lack of funds amongst other issues, it will be interesting what he will be able to achieve with them for the second half of the season.
Conclusion - With a fantastic stadium and training base on the horizon, Melissanidis has bought time but I cant see the fans staying patient for long.
Panathinaikos
Gains - Panos Armenakas (free)
Departures - Christos Zervopoulos, Christos Kountouriotis (free transfers)
PAO have shown the way in how Greek clubs should be run when there are financial constraints put in place. A smart coach, a smart football department and clear goals in place they have built a predominantly young Greek team that most clubs would admire.
Minimal movement at the club with only one key player in former youth prodigy Panos Armenakas coming in and a few squad players moving on. Some young talent being linked with big overseas moves resisted the temptation and chose to stay and finish off the season at the club instead. With reports that the debt has almost been wiped and them pushing strong for 4th place, PAO fans will hope UEFA see the good work Donis and Dabizas are doing and overturn the ban put in place for them to compete in Europe.
Conclusion - Working within their means, the club is being run sensibly although fans still want Alafouzos out. The big test will be come during the summer break to see if they can hold on to their young stars.
The rest -
Atromitos has had some handy pick ups in Warda returning, Katranis coming in on loan and Koulouris staying so they will be pushing for a European spot this season. ARIS has made some handy pick ups in Tonso and Fetfatzidis so it will be interesting to see how they go at the club.
OFI after sacking their coach have gone on a big squad overhaul in the hope they will pull themselves away from the relegation zone. AEL hit the Balkan leagues with half a dozen players coming in on free transfers whilst Panionios lost a Masouras but gained his name sake.
A lot of activity has happened at the other clubs not mentioned but in my opinion, it has been panic buys which usually don't work out well.
Conclusion. Panic Panic Panic. It always ends in tears and with four teams going down and the league going down to 14 teams next season unfortunately we will see some clubs go broke.
By George for Hellas Football
In this blog we take a look at the major players and rate the wok that was done.
PAOK
Gains - Karol Swiderski 4M, Sverrir Ingason 2M, Josip Misic, Sergio Oliviera (loans)
Departures - Alexandar Prijovic, 10M, Amr Warda, Stelios Kitsiou (loans)
Will the loss of key goal scoring machine Prijovic hurt them? So far it hasn't shown but with Olympiakos closing the gap that fire power will invariably be missing.
Still a strong and balanced squad with the new editions in the midfield and defence coming in, plus the likes of Akpom and Karelis now given more time they should be a strong force this second half of the season.
No European football but still in the Greek Cup so this could be the season PAOK finally win the league with most fans rightly or wrongly so already calling them the Champions elect.
Conclusion - No panic buys after the loss of Prijo with the club relying on the status quo to get the job done.
Olympiakos
Gains - Franco Soldano 1.1M, Georgios Masouras 400K, Gil Dias, Yuri Lodygin (loans)
Departures - Seba 300K, Giannis Fetfatzidis (free), Dimitris Nikolaou, Dimitris Manos, Giannis Masouras (loans)
Finally Olympiakos fans will appreciate a transfer window of minimal activity and shrewd purchases which haven't broken the bank with over the hill former name players. This has only raised the stocks of coach Pedro Martins who hasn't gone cap in hand to club owner Marinakis wanting player after player.
Playing great attacking football but cannot put teams away consistently. They have made some strategic purchases in attack which they will hope compliment the already talented squad they have. Still in European contention in the UEL so they will need to balance that along with the league and Greek Cup. Will it be enough to overtake a strong balanced PAOK side for the league? Time will tell.
Conclusion - As an Olympiakos fan, it has been a breathe of fresh air seeing long term planning rather than short term fixes happening.
AEK Athens
Gains - Marios Oikonomou 800K, Nenad Krsticic 500K, Anel Sabanadzovic 450K,
Departures - Georgios Giakoumakis, Erik Moran (loans)
Let a lot of players go without adequately replacing them which was always going to hurt the champions. They finished the year off poorly with player and club infighting, but from the outside looking in it seemed all had been resolved, they steadied the ship in January with minimal departures, and some key pick ups, went on a nice winning streak then coach Ouzounidis quit after the 1-1 draw with PAOK. Fan favourite and championship winning coach Manolo Jiminez is back for a third stint at the club but with him initially leaving due to lack of funds amongst other issues, it will be interesting what he will be able to achieve with them for the second half of the season.
Conclusion - With a fantastic stadium and training base on the horizon, Melissanidis has bought time but I cant see the fans staying patient for long.
Panathinaikos
Gains - Panos Armenakas (free)
Departures - Christos Zervopoulos, Christos Kountouriotis (free transfers)
PAO have shown the way in how Greek clubs should be run when there are financial constraints put in place. A smart coach, a smart football department and clear goals in place they have built a predominantly young Greek team that most clubs would admire.
Minimal movement at the club with only one key player in former youth prodigy Panos Armenakas coming in and a few squad players moving on. Some young talent being linked with big overseas moves resisted the temptation and chose to stay and finish off the season at the club instead. With reports that the debt has almost been wiped and them pushing strong for 4th place, PAO fans will hope UEFA see the good work Donis and Dabizas are doing and overturn the ban put in place for them to compete in Europe.
Conclusion - Working within their means, the club is being run sensibly although fans still want Alafouzos out. The big test will be come during the summer break to see if they can hold on to their young stars.
The rest -
Atromitos has had some handy pick ups in Warda returning, Katranis coming in on loan and Koulouris staying so they will be pushing for a European spot this season. ARIS has made some handy pick ups in Tonso and Fetfatzidis so it will be interesting to see how they go at the club.
OFI after sacking their coach have gone on a big squad overhaul in the hope they will pull themselves away from the relegation zone. AEL hit the Balkan leagues with half a dozen players coming in on free transfers whilst Panionios lost a Masouras but gained his name sake.
A lot of activity has happened at the other clubs not mentioned but in my opinion, it has been panic buys which usually don't work out well.
Conclusion. Panic Panic Panic. It always ends in tears and with four teams going down and the league going down to 14 teams next season unfortunately we will see some clubs go broke.
By George for Hellas Football
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