Zeca, Immediately Back into The Ethniki Best XI?

 Zeca, Immediately Back into The Ethniki Best XI?

By Christian Leggas

There's no doubt I speak for at least the vast majority of Ethniki supporters when I say what a joy it was to see Zeca return to playing football after ten months on the sidelines recovering from a ruptured cruciate ligament injury. 

Though if he were to string consistent starts together from now until the competitive fixtures in September, will it be enough for Gus Poyet to slot him straight into the starting line-up? Let's see who the likely competition is for a place in that suddenly-solid midfield trio.

Andreas Bouchalakis

The Olympiacos captain may warrant some justified criticism with a loose pass or lack of pace here and there. However, his wealth of experience is something that is something so crucial, not to mention his accomplished performance last time out against Kosovo.

Dimitris Kourbelis

Panathinaikos' captain has done what Zeca will no doubt be attempting to emulate and deserved all the Ethniki minutes he got in June. Being Greece's only current strong "traditional" defensive midfielder will always hold him in good stead, even if he only started one match in that quartet of games.

Sotiris Alexandropoulos

Kourbelis' domestic teammate is perhaps one central-midfield player who might be looked upon less favourably when Zeca returns. Not that he isn't full of potential, far from it, it's just that fully fit and more experienced campaigners in his position may prove to be safer choices over the adventurous young star at this point.

Giannis Papanikolaou

Off the top of your head, you might think he's the obvious choice to make way for Zeca, given their Ethniki standing comparatively. It's hard to ignore that this man was part of seventeen clean sheets last season for Rakow Czestochowa, helping them immensely on their way to a second-place league finish, not to mention being a part of five more to begin this campaign. Papanikolaou is a man high on confidence, which hasn't escaped the attention of Gus Poyet.

Manolis Siopis

Like Papanikolaou, Siopis also is high on confidence, and why wouldn't he be? Three out of a possible four starts in Poyet's first string of competitive matches, where we saw a non-stop work rate and a willingness to put pressure on the opposition, not to mention picking up where he left off domestically with Turkish champions Trabzonspor. All that combined means that he will be crucial in September, and Zeca will find it hard to take a starting-eleven place off him.

Petros Mantalos

Although he'll be suspended for the first of the September matches away to Cyprus, there's no way he won't find a way into this squad unless he's unavailable. Three assists plus the sealer at home to Kosovo back in June is more than enough for him to stake his claim for a squad place, plus the likelihood of being front and centre of Matias Almeyda's plans for a successful first season at the helm of AEK Athens.

There are zero doubts that Zeca will be welcomed back into the Ethniki fold with open arms at the very least by some of his most recent teammates. But whether or not Gus Poyet shares the same view, remains to be seen. 

@christianleggas

Hellas Football