Olympiacos Piraeus

[Cloughie]

Sure, we can swap Marco for MitroglouJimenez. 

Deal.

[Faliro]

 

[Festivus]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Greek_football_scandal

How much is this still being discussed in Greece? And is the info in the article accurate? And have you noticed any different decisions in officiating this season? According to the article, some refs have been banned from officiating. And what's the general perception of Greek football fans? I'm guessing Panathinaikos fans and PAOK fans believe that Olympiakos are guilty?

[Faliro]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Greek_football_scandal

How much is this still being discussed in Greece? And is the info in the article accurate? And have you noticed any different decisions in officiating this season? According to the article, some refs have been banned from officiating. And what's the general perception of Greek football fans? I'm guessing Panathinaikos fans and PAOK fans believe that Olympiakos are guilty?

It's a complicated story and I will try and answer with no political correctness.

The article is out of date. Marinakis's ban from football and bail terms were thrown out last year as being baseless. Basically the judge never had the right to give those conditions.

Concerning the allegations. There are a lot of smoke and mirrors. Olympiacos - ie Marinakis, has definitely been up to no good concerning some aspects of hooliganism and perhaps even fixing lower level games or knowing about it. Where everything gets a bit silly is the idea that they are fixing Super League games. That I do not believe and there is evidence for that. What there is evidence for is Marinakis hiring out his personal army of Olympiacos hooligans (we heard on phone taps) to whoever needs them. Surreal - I know, but certain clubs like Corinthos have seemed to have had at times Olympiacos hooligans at their away games defending(?) the normal fans? The whole thing is bizarre.

Last year a second division ref was beaten in the street with iron bars and was hospitalised as a result. It was an open secret Melissandis (Tiger) ordered the hit as he felt that ref would not 'play ball' with AEK who were in the second division at the time. So there is a lot of nonsense that goes on. The games that are fixed in the lower leagues are to do with betting scams rather than promoting teams that should not be promoted. Teams fanous for that were Kavala and Olympiakpos Volou - both very good teams. Aris is another club up to its neck in this crap. The most suspect games I have seen in my life involved Aris. Mendrinos (then captain of Aris) famously tried to make the opposing captain in a Europa Cup game - decide which half his team would begin the game in (obviously for betting purposes) and such nonsense. Big Mak (RIP) and Beos were fixing games 24/7. Neither were friends of Marinakis.

The reason many smaller clubs fix games and scores is to stay afloat or make the owner millions. They agree a score than pile in the bets across the Balkans. That pays player wages, staff etc. I do not believe it is that common anymore in Greece, but definitely happens from time to time.

Despite AEK being up to their necks in corruption, AEK, PAO and PAOK are all united against Olympiacos and give out statements every game saying the EPO supports Olympiacos. Their journalists do the same. Alafouzos who owns PAO also owns the SKAI channel and Kathimerini newspaper and they are both full of Anti Olympiacos nonsense all day. The whole thing stinks. The smaller clubs, Panionios, Atromitos, Asteras etc all back Marinakis and have good relations with Olympiacos. Not on the pitch.. on the pitch they get red cards they tackle Olympiacos players so hard, but among owners and in the Super League meetings, they refuse to join the AEK, PAO, PAOK crusade.

Also as I posted in the Hellas Football thread this week, many of the hooligans of PAO are actual terrorists. 25 of them were identified after the incidents at Leoforo this season. When I say terrorists, I mean actual marxist terrorists - bomb makers, drug pushers, arsonists, they are on every violent protest attacking police etc etc.. you could not make it up.

So to sum up, all AEK, PAO and PAOKtzis will say the league is fixed. Privately they know they lose against Levadiakos and friends because they cant even get a shot on target.  Refs come and go, but most the mistakes they make are similar to those in the prem. A missed offside here or there, but nothing serious.

[Festivus]

That does sound like a mess.

Who do you think Olympiacos will sell after the season is over? And do you happen to know if there are any good signings on their way? Do you think the opposition will up their game next season or does it seem like another walk in the park for Olympiacos?

Surely the whole political turmoil going on in Greece lately doesn't help matters either.

[Faliro]

That does sound like a mess.

Who do you think Olympiacos will sell after the season is over? And do you happen to know if there are any good signings on their way? Do you think the opposition will up their game next season or does it seem like another walk in the park for Olympiacos?

Surely the whole political turmoil going on in Greece lately doesn't help matters either.

I think it may be difficult to keep Fortounis. He scores far too much for a midfielder (current top scorer in the league) and those guys are usually hard to hang on to. the rest of the team are not that desirable. I mean Seba, Durmaz, Botia... These players are not even Olympiacos level in the first place.. Personally I hope we keep Kasami.. but that is just personal preference. He seems second choice in Marco's mind most the time anyway. Matsuaku may go, but he has leveled off a bit.

Signings.. interesting. At the moment not a whisper, but every summer.. Olympiacos goes crazy. There will be plenty of names thrown around. I expect a rebuild as the Anderlecht defeat hit home very hard. Each year a Levante, St Ettiene or Anderlecht end our dreams.. having beaten Arsenal, Man U, Atletico etc on the way to that fateful game.. 

As for the opposition, you can forget about Panathainkos. You guys heard their anthem recently, says it all. Their owner will not spend any money and no Greek is stupid enough to loan their owner money for his 'project.'
AEK? Don't know. Melissanidis is the richest or one of the richest men in Greece and in fact Europe. He can easily outspend Olympiacos. However he is notoriously tight like all Pontian Greeks. I expect him to spend a little however as he will want European success. So if he spends.. yes, the league improves. With Larissa back and Apollon.. the league improves a bit more on top of that. PAOK.. again a rich Pontian owner.. but with shit for brains. He could not build a football team if his life depended on it. He looks at a football game and understands as much as a goat does of an ancient chinese manuscript shoved in his face.

Greeks are fine with political turmoil  , what killed the football was the economic crisis. Big clubs went down, Aris, AEK, Larissa, OFI - the second division already lost Ergotelis and Volou this season due to debts. I think sadly unless Tiger opens his pockets, it will be another easy year for Olympiacos next season. AEK/PAO and PAOK spent millions on lawyers to get Olympiacos thrown out the league. It didnt work. I am not sure how long it will take them to realise the only way to beat Olympiacos is to buy better players than Tziolis, Tzavellas, Zeca, Pranjic, Pekhart etc..

[Festivus]

If you think Pana's anthem is bad, wait until you hear Sporting's:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBtd_W6n5pQ

It's sang by a CRAZY OLD WOMAN WITH HER HAIR DYED GREEN:

[Faliro]

If you think Pana's anthem is bad, wait until you hear Sporting's:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBtd_W6n5pQ

Again, what a weird anthem? 

Its like they stole it from this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TWGPFpeyPw

[Festivus]

If you think Pana's anthem is bad, wait until you hear Sporting's:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBtd_W6n5pQ

Again, what a weird anthem? 

Its like they stole it from this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TWGPFpeyPw

Benfica's anthem though, is pretty classy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIN2cZ5P-MU

Fado music can sound good at times.

[Faliro]

 

[Festivus]

I particularly like how classy the lyrics are.

The funny thing is, sportinguistas think they're the elite club, yet their anthem sounds trashy as hell. Like something you'd hear at a low class bar. While ours is pretty classy and we're supposed to be, according to them, the club of the rednecks who beat their wives.

[Baron_Davis]

regarding Marco, is he staying in Greece next year ?

[Faliro]

I never take seriously what rival fans say anyway. 

[Faliro]

regarding Marco, is he staying in Greece next year ?

No idea. Depends on the fat one.. he answers to no one..

[Never]

If you think Pana's anthem is bad, wait until you hear Sporting's:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBtd_W6n5pQ

Again, what a weird anthem? 

Its like they stole it from this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TWGPFpeyPw

The similaraty is uncanny.