Vangelis Mitsis
Clubs from outside the Athens area have had little to shout about in the Super League for the last twenty years. In fact this coming season, 2007-08, marks the 20-year anniversary of the last time the Greek championship trophy left the gaze of the Acropolis. In the last 11 years only one club outside of the mighty Olympiacos have lifted the title, and only on one occasion, this was their near rivals Panathinaikos.
However, now, for the first time in a long time, a look outside Athens brings hope of change. That hope is centred on the northern city of Salonika, home to two proud and powerful clubs who have vastly underachieved given their fan base and history.
PAOK and Aris both start the new season full of hope and for once that hope looks justified. At PAOK, who nearly brought in Lothar Matteaus as coach last year, the old administration has been brushed aside and replaced by one with former Euro 2004 winning Captain Theo Zagorakis as its President. A raft of new signings followed by a real coup in the dugout mean PAOK could well be this seasons dark horses.
On the bench this year will be Fernando Santos, a name well known to followers of European football. Amongst his former clubs Santos can count all of the Portuguese big three (Benfica, Sporting Lisbon and Porto). Whilst in Greece he only needs Olympiacos to complete his big three collection, having managed AEK Athens on two separate occasions and lasting 3 years at Panathinaikos, in itself no mean feat. Santos will need to call upon all his experience of Greek football if he is to wrestle PAOK out of their malaise and make them genuine challengers once again.
Over at city rivals Aris, the developments have been none the less exciting with Spaniard Olivia being replaced in arguably an even bigger managerial coup then their rivals.
The name of Serbian Dusan Bajevic means something in Greek football, inspiring a grudging respect from those who despise him and an almost godlike adoration from those who have witnessed his management first hand at their club. Make no mistake, bringing Bajevic back to Greece and to Aris in particular has been a spectacular triumph.
Bajevic has picked up 8 Greek championships from spells with AEK Athens and Olympiacos. He has also had a spell with Aris’ rivals PAOK, defiantly leading them to cup in 2004 despite large financial problems and having to face a dominant Olympiacos in the final (PAOK won 4-2).
Simply put, he is the Sir Alex Ferguson or Fabio Capello of Greek football. If Bajevic can work similar miracles at Kleanthis Vikliedis on a consistent basis then Aris could well better last season’s 4th place finish and become genuine challengers over the next few years.
Undoubtedly he will need Spanish forward Koke to fire. Koke arrived in Greece last summer having been deemed surplus to requirements at Marseille with the permanent arrival of Djibril Cisse. An annual salary of 500,000 Euros makes him comfortably Aris’ best paid player and a tally of 10 goals last year along with a string of exciting performances confirmed his potential. Bajevic will surely plan any future Aris strikeforce around him.
In defence Aris have managed to hold on to young starlet Avraam Papadopolous in the fact of interest from Olympiacos and have brought in an experienced partner for him in the form of Brazilian Ronaldo. Ronaldo has had spells in Turkey with Besikitas and Portugal with Benfica.
At PAOK no less than 10 new players have arrived with 6 leaving the club and Theo Zagorakis retiring in order to take up the presidency.
Santos like Bajevic faces quite a challenge to turn PAOK into a side that can consistently challenge at the top of the Super League. Dutchman Ruud Knol newly arrived from Vitesse will look to get his career back on track. Knol was highly rated some years ago and tipped for a move to Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV. If he can recapture his earlier promise he will be a very solid signing.
Euro 2004 winner Lakis has arrived from AEK where he was out of favour. The ex-Crystal Palace man will need to provide a creative spark in the middle of the field and help make sure new signings Glenn Salmon and PAOK old boy Zisis Vryzas are supplied with chances.
Both Fernando Santos and Dusan Bajevic know Greek football intimately, have enjoyed success and will want to make a point to the Athenian big boys. AEK Athens, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos could be facing the biggest challenge to their supremacy for years. If one of these Salonikan clubs can break up the cartel at the top, it will send shockwaves through Greek football, if both of them can, it will be a revolution.
As always, the main obstacles are patience and common sense. If either Bajevic or Santos suffer a tricky first season, fans will revolt and it will need a strong President to back them for a second year. Patience and belief in their choice of coach is sorely required. The common sense that needs to be applied is to let these clearly talented men get on with the job. Interference from above must be kept to a minimum.
This season promises to be an interesting one in Salonika. With Greek football’s UEFA co-efficient having fallen 7 places this season, it is obvious it needs to evolve or risk becoming an irrelevance. Dusan Bajevic and Fernando Santos at clubs outside the big three are exactly what Greek football needs.
