Hellas Football

Bruma Deal or no Deal? By Stephen Kountourou  As the season draws to a close for Olympiakos, preparations are beginning for the 2021/22 campaign for Thrylos to do it all over again in the league, the cup and Europe where they hope to be just as successful as they were this time around. As per usual the big talk every summer transfer, which new faces will arrive at the port of Piraeus? who will be bowing out to continue their careers elsewhere? Who needs time to develop and be sent out on loan, and the theme of this week's blog, who will be signing permanently after a season with the Greek champions? The answer to this last question at the time of writing could be Portuguese winger Bruma.  After arriving on loan from Dutch giants PSV, the wide player with bags of pace has split the Thrylos faithful down the middle as to whether he should be signed permanently after having a decent if not mixed season under compatriot Pedro Martins and the Ethyrolefki. So for this week I will be...

Interview With Gianna Douka - Coach Of Ergotelis WFC By Alexander Koutakos For many of us in the diaspora, Greek women’s football is quite unknown. Overall, Greek women’s football receives barely any coverage in the mainstream media and in society.  This has to change. And thus, I decided to do something about it. Recently, I went on Instagram and I requested to do an interview with the coaches of multiple teams in the women’s first division. Gladly, some of them said yes. As the title states, this blog will solely focus on my interview with Gianna Douka-the coach of Ergotelis WFC. Ergotelis WFC has so far started their season well with a total of 4 points from 2 games. They recently won 6-2 against AEK Missolonghi.  It was a phenomenal result that depicted the strength and the class of Ergotelis WFC.  A lot of that strength comes from Ergotelis WFC’s coach (Gianna Douka). I had the pleasure to ask Gianna Douka some questions and the answers that I got were quite interest...

A Perpetual Cycle of Mediocrity By Antonios Theodosis I am starting to sound like a broken record in that it seems like every six months to a year I find myself agitated, sat scratching my head, and just embarrassed at what is going on with this team. Around this time last year I wrote my first ever blog for HellasFooty highlighting the fall of a once powerful giant in Greek football. Shortly after that, by only a few months I wrote about the lackluster playoff campaign that saw the club taste some heavy defeats from rivals Olympiakos and AEK.   Last year though I was looking at things from a more glass half full perspective, I was upset with the treatment of Giorgos Donis, but I opted to highlight some of the positives that we were expecting to see with a brand new coach and overhauled squad. The new season came and with it the positive expectations I had quickly faltered as it was evidently clear that the newly appointed coach was in way over his head. To make matters even worse ...

Greek Football vs The Super League By Steve Kountourou  In light of the recent news regarding the European Super League and the twelve teams who have agreed to join it, almost everyone is completely against this idea. Supporters of the aforementioned clubs have taken to social media to voice their displeasure, anger and sadness that the beautiful game is finally having the remainder of its soul ripped out, all in the name of the rich getting richer and leaving behind the values and the history of what made those clubs and European football so great.  In its place will be a stagnant uncompetitive tournament with no relegation and clubs who will qualify every season because they have a place guaranteed rather than fighting in their domestic league and earn the right to qualify for Europe's biggest stage.  But the question I would like to raise is, what happens to the other leagues without a place in this almost completely closed league despite five qualifying places being u...

The Women's Top Flight In Greece Has Just Commenced! By Alexander Koutakos  As the title stated, the women's top flight in Greece just commenced its 2020-21 season. Yes, you read that right. A professional sports league in Greece commenced its 2020-21 season in April 2021! Things have certainly been tough for women’s football in Greece lately. Moreover, funding has been cut, delays are constant and things are generally running slowly. However, at the moment of writing, the 1st matchday of the season just occurred.  This season will be even more unpredictable due to the condensed schedules, smaller investment levels, weaker TV deals, a smaller amount of transfers and a higher amount of disorganization. This season of the women's top flight will actually be quite similar to the third division of men's football based on the fact that both of their respective season’s started around the same time. This article will go over the format of this season, the current standings an...

Olympiakos. The Pre Pre Season By Stephen Kountourou  As Olympiakos has officially wrapped up the Greek Super League title, all Thrylos fans can breathe a deep sigh that they have retained their crown. But with seven games to go and the Greek Cup now the main priority to claim a consecutive domestic double, the management of the squad is crucial for not only the remainder of the season but also the next campaign.  We are likely to see some rotation of the starting line up as the rest of the games, while against some of the Piraeus sides biggest rivals, are not essential for some of the more crucial members of the team to play as they will undoubtedly be rested before the return leg against PAS in the semi-final of the Greek Cup.  It could also be a good chance to see how some of the squad players handle the pressure of the big occasion by playing in a game against one of Panathinaikos, PAOK, AEK, Aris and even Asteras Tripolis and Pedro Martins can almost use these last h...