PAS Giannina – Welcome Back to the Super League

PAS Giannina – Welcome Back to the Super League


By Michael Vissini



Officially announced by the Super League, PAS Giannina have returned to the top flight after one year absent. The Epirotes finished in first place in the Super League 2 with 15 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss on 49 pointsahead of Apollon Smyrni by 7 points after 20 rounds though the league did not continue and was suspended.


Recently, on August 19th, it was confirmed by the Super League in a board of directors meeting to register PAS Giannina for the 20/21 season and relegate Panionios to the Super League 2. This news also puts an end to restructuring the Super League and will remain with 14 teams (thank God).


Certainly, PAS Giannina were the favourites to rise up again to the Super League with their squad more superior than the other 11 teams in the Super league 2. Lefteris Choutesiotis was crucial for the Epirotes between the sticks, while Apostolos Skondras and Evangelos Pantelakis composed the defence with Michalis Boukouvalas and Alexandros Kartalis at full backs proved to be successful.


Midfielders, Fabry Castro, Angelos Liasos and Stefanos Siontis were instrumental for the Epirotes, but predominately their attacking players Sandi Krizman, Jean Baptiste Leo and Giorgos Pamlidis scored 32 goals between them in all competitions and no doubt their clinical finishing played a major role for PAS Gianninaearning promotion coached by German born Greek Argirios Giannikis, who succeeded Giannis Petrakis. The 40 year old has great experience at youth levels in Germany and one of the many Greek coaches on the rise along with former Darmstadt coach Dimitris Grammozis, Giorgos Simos and Giorgos Petrakis. He finished his first season with an impressive 19 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses and is at the helm for the new Super League season.


Moreover, on the current transfer movement, PAS Giannina have been quite busy with recruiting new additions and offloading:


Arrivals:

Giannis Botsaris (Panathinaikos U19), Manolis Saliakas(Lamia), Marvin Peersman (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Giannis Kargas(Levski Sofia)


Departures:

Lasha Shergelashvili, Apostolos Skondras, Konstantinos Peristeridis, Michalis Boukavalas, Alexandros Apostolopoulos


Couple of great additions by the club for the full back positions with the signings of Manolis Saliakas(RB) and experienced Belgian Marvin Peersman (LB), and the addition of Giannis Kargas to strengthen the backline. Botsaris from Panathinaikos will potentially be third choice for the Epirotes. 


The club released Georgian international Shergalashviliand did not renew the contracts of long servants Skondras, Peristeridis, Boukouvalas and Apostolopoulos, as they want to start fresh for their return to the Super league. Transfer window ends on 5th October and will see some extra reinforcements by the club.


The young talents to watch is Giorgos Gogis in the defence and midfielder Angelos Liasos, who both earned considerable amount of game time last season and may earn more minutes in the top division.


The club are settled and determined to get their season underway and hoping to avoid relegation unlike their disastrous 18/19 Super League campaign. It is the least they want to happen and will continue shopping in the transfer market to build a team that is strong enough to remain in the top flight.


Lastly, we can finally say - Welcome back PAS Giannina!


Hellas Football


Follow @michael_vissini

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