The Best Next Coach and Group of Players

By Christian Leggas 

If we can take any blessing in disguise from the heartbreaking loss to Georgia, Gus Poyet signalled that there was a good chance that he would not adhere to having a Plan B in multiple areas. I can partly understand why. 

The Kazakhstan game was flawless, so he probably felt like he did not need to change much. But if he wasn't willing to use certain players in conjunction with using players that won't cut the mustard against teams of higher quality than recent C-League UEFA Nations League teams, then that could very well bite him on the backside and cost him his job, and it ultimately has. A new coach is necessary now and one who'll put both the best attitude and talent first.

No Christos Tzolis for starters against Georgia, even on the bench, was something that I couldn't fathom. There wasn't a better player to bring on when we needed a goal or goals an hour into that match. 

Bringing on Giannis Konstantelias was a step in the right direction, no question, but Konstantelias arguably in his more natural role in attacking midfield, and Tzolis on a left-wing, and you put Georgia in Struggle Street at a much higher intensity.

Instead, Poyet replaced Petros Mantalos for Andreas Bouchalakis just after extra time had begun. Harshly treated by some fans, Bouchalakis has served the shirt largely well in his forty-four caps. But if you want a better chance of winning the match before it gets to a penalty shootout, it's clear he was not the right player to bring on in that moment. 

These two decisions alone undid all of Poyet's positive work with the Ethniki, and eventually, we all know what happened as this game unfolded. We supporters were left crushed and will be for a very long time.

There's now a need for some of our younger talented players to be integrated into this squad quickly, as well as others who play at very high levels who've unfortunately been said no to for whatever reason. 

The below graphic will showcase the twenty-three-twenty-six nucleus that our new manager must prioritise working with immediately and our best possible starting line-up in the way of team balance and talent.

(Graphic of the players)

Recently, I stated that our best midfield trio was Dimitrios Kourbelis, Anastasios Bakasetas and Petros Mantalos. That is now no longer the case. Also, I said Andreas Bouchalakis was still needed as he and Kourbelis were the only two big-presence and central defensive midfielders we possess depth-wise. 

I've changed my mind there as well. There's no need for a complete squad overhaul. That would be silly, as we must continue to have players who are or have been part of the recent core group still part of the team so that the ever-present positive team spirit built for nearly these past half a dozen years continues. 

I thank the likes of George Baldock, Zeca, Georgios Tzavellas, Andreas Bouchalakis, Alexandros Paschalakis, Georgios Athanasiadis, Anastasios Chatzigiovanis, and Sokratis Dioudis. I do not doubt that their attitude day-by-day as professionals is first class, and they're positive influences within the Ethniki set-up. 

But for the sake of needing not just the appropriate characters but also more of our most talented players on the park and the need for more youthful exposure for other players that play in their positions, they're the unlucky bunch that have to step aside.

When I think of a manager who knows the Greek Football Landscape relatively well, a proven winner of recent times and who'd be a realistic option, Ivan Jovanović takes the cake in my preference for our next coach. 

Diego Martínez is another option that I would consider after his cruel sacking from Olympiakos. But that appointment could also come with a lot of risk. He's a lot younger than a Jovanović, and the demands of a job like this are something that he is not used to. 

Unfortunately, unless the new coach is the incoming president's pick, he'll be on the back foot from the get-go as not the number-one choice. That's not an unfixable problem. The appointment of our next coach is critical.

@CrazyEthinc

Hellas Football