Hellas futebol

[Faliro]

The mayor of Salonika quipped they should turn the Xarilou into a supermarket..

Poor Aris... come back to the Super League... you have some of the best fans in the world..

Super super video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iqXaVfX7o8

[Faliro]

Tickets went on sale for the AEK Olympiacos Cup second leg.

I think they sold around 35,000 today and it will most likely be a sell out. 46,000 + 12,000 season tickets.

[Faliro]

AEK have sold out the OAKA for the cup game against OSFP this week. Should be about 65,000 fans depending on what parts of the stadium are closed for security. They are erecting giant nets and making a huge security operation. However, if AEK fans bring flare guns, it will make little difference.

==========================


In other news, PAO have managed to get a court ruling saying that tax payers money should go towards enlarging their stadium.. €7 million! This means they now have permission to build two extra tiers on top of the long stands. It should add around 4700 seats to the capacity of the stadium.

[Covenant]

Pana needs a new stadium. 30 000 seats.

[Faliro]

They do. Even with these new seats it will still be smaller than Aris' stadium.

There were two massive plans for redevelopment, both of which failed due to lack of funds.

The first was building a brand new stadium at Votanikos - a very central industrial district. They found the land, got permissions and Manuel Salgado (Dragao stadium) drew up the plans. The stadium was basically similar to the Dragao but with steeper stands, 42,000 capacity. They started leveling the ground but then abandoned the project:





Then last year, the 'PAO Movement' got plans for rebuilding the Leoforo. Sadly the plans required the acquisition of a neighboring school - so this was therefore just a fantasy. The stadium would have been 44,000. Shame, for me it would easily the best stadium in the whole Balkans if it was built.

[sbremoved_28408]

Isn't a 42,000 capacity stadium too big for PAO ? Maybe a 30,000 would be enough.

Anyway,if they could rebuild the current stadium would be a better option and probably cheaper

[Faliro]

It's a debate I have wasted many an internet session debating with 2nd generation Greeks.

For example, if we look at AEK. They can sell 65,000 seats if they have a big game.. Champions League, big derby etc... So therefore. I think they should be building a stadium bigger than 40,000 - they sell more season tickets than anyone else in Greece.. However, many Greeks will argue, it will only be full around 10 times a year. I argue - 'so what?' A bigger stadium takes into account both AEK and football growth in Greece, it will be used for international matches, big summer friendlies/tournaments etc etc.. However, clearly - the Greeks with money agree with smaller = better. AEK are going to build at 30k stadium with saunas and bars included, that can never be enlarged. I see that as looking backwards. Demis Nikolaidis understood Nea Filadelfia could never hold a stadium more than 30,000 and  wanted to build AEK a 50,000k stadium in Ano Liosia - about 10 minutes away from their old stadium. All the AEK fans told him to fuck off.

As for PAO - currently they sell very few season tickets. Their club is dying. They can either buy better players or build a beautiful stadium to revitalise the club. I am pretty sure they will do neither.

PAOK have a massive fan base, however their club is run like Penafiel. They should have a big stadium - but again for what? To watch low quality players lose?

Olympiacos attempted to enlarge the Karaiskaki, but in order to that, it needed deeper foundations. When surveys were carried out they found sand deep underground meaning it was not viable.

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As for the cup game tomorrow. More than 1,500 police officers will participate in draconian security measures for critical Cup match between AEK and Olympiakos, which will be attended by around 65,000 fans.

[sbremoved_28408]

I think Juventus are a great example in this matter. There's no need to build a huge, and therefore, very expensive stadium if it will only be full in a couple of matches throughout the season.

You have a better atmosphere with a smaller stadium that is full than with a bigger stadium that is most times half empty. And financially it can also be well explored.

The best solution for countries like Portugal,Grecce,Italy etc is to build a smaller stadium but having the chance to expand it if the club wants to.

From what I see in the Greek league,most times stadiums are "empty" like in Portugal. If even Olympiakos can´t fill their stadium in most matches,PAO or AEK won't aswell,so 30,000 would be more than enough. Honestly,I don't see how AEK and football growth can chance so dramatically the current situation,therefore don't think there will be a huge need to expand the stadium

[Faliro]

Thing is, one should not plan for the present. One should plan for the future and consider the past.

There was a time when Olympiacos and AEK would fill their stadiums even for small games. With the advent of hooliganism and the destructive 90's - the stadia emptied accordingly. Families do not go to games anymore. No one believes in football anymore in Greece. If it stays this way for the next 100 years, than yes - 30k for AEK is perfect.

Now I can imagine a club like AEK, which is always in the Champions League - fighting big derbies etc... needing more than 30k seats. Even in the second division, they have brought 65,000 fans to this game tomorrow. Imagine in better times!

Nea Filadefeia is a very small plot. It has height restrictions and problems with an adjacent park. There is no possibility of expansion on the site as they would be building into the road.

I find a 30k stadium for AEK not only naive but also short sighted. Olympiacos have lost millions in revenue because of the small size of its stadium. There have been many many games where many many fans have had to watch on TV because the stadium is too small.

Now for a team like Iraklis... Aris...Larissa, Kalamata..Xanthi etc... sure... smaller the better.. but for AEK? 30k is absolutely ridiculous imo. I am not imagining a 60k stadium would be appropriate, but I think they need a stadium over 40k - as does Olympiacos and PAO. Building a 40k stadium instead of a 30k has very little price differential - however the difference for the fans on big days is critical.  That is why all 3 clubs attempted stadium around that size and 2 failed due to lack of funds, Olympiacos failed because of engineering issues.

[Faliro]

Markarian: Greece need to attack more
(AFP) Thursday 5 March 2015



Greece coach Sergio Markarian said he wanted Greece to play more attacking football against Hungary in their UEFA EURO 2016 qualifier on 29 March as his side strive to move off the bottom position.

"We know it is a very difficult time and we need a big effort, but I believe in the players and the chances that we have. With a good effort and cooperation we will do well," the 70-year-old Uruguayan coach told a press conference.

Markarian, who was picked to coach the Greeks through the EURO 2016 tournament last month, said that if Greece failed to qualify for the finals in France next year it would be a step backwards after such a good showing from 2002 onwards.

"But we are optimistic and will try our best," Markarian said. "We want to give the Greeks joy at this difficult time for them."

Markarian said that in the past Greece had been known for its defensive play, but he wanted the team to be more offensive.

In the past Greece had a style, good defense and goals in the counter attacks. With time this style has been lost.Greece head coach Sergio Markarian
"In the past Greece had a style, good defense and goals in the counter attacks. With time this style has been lost. We must move forward. Good football means good defense and good offense," the former coach of Peru and Paraguay added. Markarian said the match with Hungary would be crucial for his side.

"I cannot say if we will win or not, but I am sure with the help of the players we will play good football," he added.

Greece are bottom of the group with just one point in four matches. Romania head the table with ten points followed by Northern Ireland (9), Hungary (7), Finland (4) and Faroe Islands (3).

This coach is not actually that bad. I remember how he used to set out teams, quite clever.

Anyways, this is what I would go for with our remaining games.

.................................Karnezis....................................

Torosidis..........Manolas...................Sokratis............Xolebas

......................K.Papadopoulos...........Samaris.......................

...........Gianniotas................Fetfatzidis........................Ninis......................

......................................Mitroglou.....................................

[Faliro]

A taste of Athens for the few members on here who havent visited.. Hope you enjoy the weirdness and the dirt that is Athens.

DSC_7321 by ovemovem, on Flickr

Ψυρρή
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Πλατεία Αβησσυνίας
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Μοναστηράκι
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Εσπλανάδα
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Πειραιάς
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Αβέρωφ
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Κήπος σε ταράτσα στη Συγγρού
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Σημαία, Συγγρού, Απόλλων και Πεντέλη
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Υπόγεια διάβαση στη Συγγρού
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Κτίριο στη Συγγρού
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Κέντρο Ωνάση
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Εθνική Ασφαλιστική & Τράπεζα
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Ωνάσειο
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Ρεα???
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Συγγρού
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Εξάρχεια
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Νεάπολη Εξαρχείων

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Προσφυγικά, Αλεξάνδρας
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Πατησίων
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Αυτή η στοα πίσω απο το Αττικα
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Κολοκοτρώνη, πάνω απο ένα μπέργκερ
DSC_6241 copy by ovemovem, on Flickr

[H]

Boas fotos Faliro, efrraristo.

[Godescalco]

I've been in Athens once.

I didn't recall so many lousy graffitis, though. Why isn't the city hall doing anything about it?

[Faliro]

The mayor, kaminis, is far left. You could graffiti his face and still not see jail.

In Greece, many see public law and order as fascist.

[Godescalco]

They should at least care how bad their capital city looks, no?