Greece's Under 19 Generation getting Europe's attention!

Recently Greece's Under 19 team participated in their group to qualify for the Euro U19 tournament in Armenia this summer, while they failed to qualify they definitely got more of Europe's scouts attention by beating the much hyped England U19 team (In England too) that just two years ago won the Youth World Cup at the same age level. This same Greek Under 19 team  had already beaten Spain, Germany, among other nations. When considering the talent that didn't even make the Greek team as well as many Greek diaspora in the same age group that could join later on (as well as others already playing with the U21's or abroad) it just shows that this Greek Under 19 team has the talent to beat Europe's top teams and perhaps do some big things!

The Euro U19 team that did play in the tournament & impressed

Christos Mandas (Atromitos) Seen as the Greek Donnaruna by many(Which speaks for itself) he maid his debut for Atromitos at 16 & already has a 2million buyout clause. He struggled the Under 19's last match, yet is considered one of Greece's biggest talents among the many great goalkeepers that Greece currently has.

Lefteris Lyrantzis (PAOK) / Marios Tsousis (PAOK)  

Both PAOK fullbacks have for years both gotten scouts attention.

Lyrantzis is two footed a converted winger that plays both right back and left back just as well, can score goals, is really fast, and a tough kid.

Tsousis meanwhile has great technique, is really good on the ball, so much so that his Under 19 coach spoke about him as one of the best fullbacks in Europe (At his age of course).

Giorgos Antzoulas (Fiorentina) moved to Fiorentina this summer on loan & has impressed so far having scored 3 goals already with the youth team as well as voted to the team of the month a few times. Primarily used at Center Back but his great technique, passing, and control on the ball allows him to effortlesly play in midfield as well. 

Dimitris Meliopoulos (Fc Xanthi) A natural defensive midfielder, he's been playing with Xanthi's first team for 2 years already. He's strong in the tackle, good on the ball, and solid tactically. He's rumored to be moving to PAOK this summer with his former Xanthi coach (Who of course is now PAOK's coach) who had this to say about him before leaving.

Luchesku : " First I admire his passion and his determination to improve and succeed, then the rest, talent, etc " .

Dimitris Emmanoulidis (Panathinaikos) Easily one of Greece's biggest talents at youth level with many European scouts continously keeping an eye on him. His best attribute is likely his pace as most can't keep up with him, he also though has great technique, dribbles past others with ease, has scored goals at every level (including this season with PAO) and really just needs more playing time and experience. 

Giannis Botos (AEK) A box to box midfielder that covers a lot of ground & is good going forward having already scored for AEK's first team (In the Greek Cup) also won a penalty in Greece's first U19 match.

Nikopolidis Jr.  Saved a penalty & made a lot of other huge saves (Which reminded everyone of his Dad of course)

Giannis Michalidis (PAOK) Impressed scouts with his great technique, great aerial ability and particularly with his passing (long ball accuracy from the back especially).

Dimitris Liavas (Panaitolikos) only 17 & playing with this group he can play at fullback, midfield, or at CB (Also scored the 1st goal vs England's U19's)

Panagiotis Tzimas (Asteras Tripolis) Often in this age group he was the one that scored the big goals but didn't get to play in this tournament, huge talent as well that could play anywhere.

Players that didn't make the team, and/or are playing abroad

Ilyas Koutsoupias (Bologna) Though he's still only 17 he's played in the Under 19 teams previous matches but was recently left out of the team. In a sign of his maturity he mentioned in a recent interview how he has no problem with Goumas leaving him out and supports the team. On the field you see the same with Bologna or Entella his previous team in Italy, he can do it all, pass it effortlessly long balls, short, score goals, and in a position that Greece has often struggled in over the years (midfield) he's one of the most promising players period.

Koutsoupias celebrating with his Varregio trophy for Genoa

Some highlights of him if you haven't seen him play.

https://vimeo.com/262050405

Nikos Michelis (AC Milan) Can play just as well in midfield or at Center Back. A big kid, that's fantastic on the ball with great technique, that could pass the ball really well. Somehow Atromitos and Panionios didn't sign him after trying him out but after a few years in Asteras Tripolis' academy he got AC Milan's attention enough for them to sign him. 

+S.Kokovas (FC Bochum), K.Dimitriou (FC Basel/CB) 

N.Ioannidis (Levadiakos/Striker that was injured)

Those already playing at Under 21 level

 

A.Kampetsis (Panathinaikos)

Still only 19 and in his first season as a professional at Panathinaikos he's done well. Often used as a substitute off the bench his dribbling at pace ( especially at his height) is impressive while his technique and control on the ball allows him to play anywhere up front. Borussia Dortmund signing him as well as the fact that he's scored in just about every game he's started for Panathinaikos shows he's one to keep an eye on & is likely a big part of Greece's future.

*Also I'm not a fan of comparing players but watching Emmanoulidis & Kampetsis at PAO & what they're capable of reminds me a lot of Salpigidis & Giorgos Samaras.

Anastasios Douvikas (Asteras Tripolis) Really impressed last season scoring bicycle kick goals in the Greek League & many more at youth level (Needs to play more).

Dimitris Lymnios (PAOK, 20 Years old) Has already been called up to the Greek first team, huge talent that's playing in PAOK's 1st team now & just keeps on improving, Scored some amazing goals at youth level, as well as in the Champions League (Playoffs), derby matches this season.

Marios Vrousai /Evangleos Pavlidis (Willem II/both 20 yo) Most of Europe knows about both now as they've torn up the Dutch league partnering with Isak up front, yet their numbers regardless are more then impressive for their first season playing professionally.

Vrousai in 11 games has 4 goals, 6 assists, and 4 penalties won whilst Pavlidis in 12 games has 4 goals and 5 assists.

The Brilliant Panathinaikos & PAOK Under 19 teams (As well as 2-3 others playing at U19 level in Greece)

Current Greece U15 Thodoros Eleftheriadis technical director whose done brilliant work at PAOK / Olympiakos & PAO's academy had this to say before leaving Panathinaikos' academy two years ago:

Eleftheriadis: "I wanna particularly point out the Under 17 team that has 6-7 kids that have experience with the Greek youth teams that are a golden group" 

Panathinaikos:

Sehou (Striker) Tall, lanky striker that has huge potential but needs to get stronger. 

Athanasakopoulos (midfielder) One of Greece's biggest talents that can score goals, make great through passes, etc (Even compared to Kaka in playing style by Greece's former U17 coach).

Vaggianidis (RB) A fullback that has it all pace, good ball control, technique, etc. Only injuries have set him back so far (Missed close to half the season this year) 

PAOK: 

Iordanidis (Under 21 assistant coach on PAOK's U19 team) " by far the most successful batch of players "

Siabanis (GK) A goalkeeper that's so good on the ball he's even taken the Greek U19 teams penalties (& scored of course!)

Gaitanidis (Winger) scoring at a huge rate at youth level, even scored a hat trick in 18 minutes in a game vs Bulgaria in qualifying after coming on late. 

Balogiannis (Midfielder/20) a midfielder that's great on the ball/ a good passer & has good technique.

Others: Marinos (Olympiakos) a pacy winger, that's also a good dribbler able to get past others with ease.

Thymiannis an old school type Center Back, good in the air, tactically, etc (Xanthi)

A few Greek diaspora 

Christian Vassilakis (Real Madrid) 

A striker playing in Real Madrid's third team, he's been their leading goal scorer for most of the season, pacy, a good dribbler, and seems like a natural in the box (Something Greece really needs more of). He's able to play for Greece through his grandfather and has already stated that's who he would like to play for (With him and his family still waiting for the final paperwork from Greece to get his passport).

Nikos Zografakis (Hertha Berlin) An attacking midfielder that last season led his team in goals on the way to the German Under 19 Bundesliga title. Also scored the winning goal vs PSG in the youth league that knocked them out of the tournament. Has played for the German U17's & U19's but (like Odysseas Vlahodimos) could still change & play for Greece.

With Anastasiadis recently mentioning that the Greek National team makes everything more difficult for themselves, you couldn't help but think of the Greek under 19 team as well, that beat England but then missed out in qualifying having lost their next & final match vs the Czech Republic (up 1-0 then lost 4-1). Oddly very similar to the talented under 21 team that only had to draw with Croatia after being undefeated in their group but then somehow losing that match to not qualify for the Euro Under 21 tournament this summer. What's not debatable is that this generation of players (Along with the U21's Tasos Donis / Retsos / Mavropanos / Bouzoukis / Androutsos / Masouras) is full of potential and something that's not lost on Angelos Basinas and the new EPO who in a recent interview with Open TV was asked about the Under 19 team and mentioned how he and Anastasiadis are well aware of the talent in that age group. 

A.Basinas: "If we put the right foundation behind the kids as we have for the first team there's a lot of kids in this age group that have a big career ahead of them, either abroad or in Greece. they're really good players & I hope they qualify tomorrow"

Of course the team didn't qualify & as fans of Greek football will tell you many of these kids often would get lost around this age in the Greek League & not develop fully. Yet with many of these talented youngsters playing abroad already as well as EPO & the players themselves realizing the huge importance of playing games, this talented generation of players in my opinion has a real chance to do something great even despite the struggles of the National Team or the Greek League the past few years. Or as Goumas said himself about this group:

G.Goumas : "This team has a lot of quality & have no reason to look up to Spain, Germany, or Italy, the only thing they need is playing time".

With many of the former Euro 2004 players running the Greek federation now, Basinas, Goumas, Nikopolidis & Anastasiadis doing some good things already, this talented generation of players have a real chance to do some great things again!

By A. Karantonis for Hellas Football