[FM20] Trying To Save Panionios F.C From A Greek Tragedy

[FMunderachiever]

PANIONIOS F.C.

The Background

Panionios are Greece's oldest association football club. Founded in 1890, originally as the Orpheus Music and Sports Club, Panionios were forced to relocate to Athens following the defeat of the Greek military, in the Greco Turkish war. The club settled in the New Smyrna suburb of Athens, where the Nea Smyrni Stadium is located, Panionios' home.

Panionios have spent almost all of their existence in the top level of Greek football, the Superleague. Success has been somewhat thin on the ground however, with a mere 2 Greek Cups in the 78-79 and 97-98 seasons, a Balkan cup success in the 70-71 season, and runner up finishes in the Greek Superleague in 50-51 and 70-71 to show on their honours board.

The Present Day - Panionios Placed Under Transfer Embargo And Forced To Start Season On -6 Points

In May 2019, due to mounting financial problems, Panionios failed to provide the Hellenic Football Federation assurances of a plan for the clubs financial sustainability over the course of the 2019-2020 season, and a plan for handling their overdue debts. This meant Panionions could not obtain a Superleague license, and faced a number of punishments from the football federation. In addition to having to start the season on -6 points, Panionios were given strict transfer embargo rules, that stipulated:

a) They can sign as many Greek footballers under 23 years of age as they like.

b) In the July-August transfer window they will be able to acquire ONLY ONE player over 23 years of age, Greek or foreign.

c) In the January transfer period, they will only be able to sign ONE GREEK footballer over 23 years of age and no foreigners (of course, unlimited Greeks under 23).

d) They may ONLY make TWO player contract renewals for players over 23 years of age, irrespective of their nationality. These updates can be made both in the summer or in January or one in the summer and one in January.

e) The two renewals of contracts to which they are entitled shall be prohibited from increasing the remuneration to such players.

f) In all new transfers, the contracts are forbidden to exceed 100,000 euros (each new player's earnings will have this amount as a maximum).

g) In any transfer or loan transaction, it will be forbidden to give money to a another club (for transfers for example - only free agents).

 

Panionios' situation means the transfer budget currently stands at £0 for the upcoming season, and with the contract situation effectively meaning the club has limits on how many contracts it can offer and a salary cap, the situation the club finds itself in is extremely difficult.

 

The Nea Smyrni Stadium And Its Passionate Fanbase: The Panthers

(An empty Nea Smyrni)

(Matchday at Nea Smyrni)

Panionios are backed by a loyal following of fans, dubbed "The Panthers Club", for their colourful use of Tifo and pyrotechnics on matchday inside the Nea Smyrni stadium.

Nea Smyrni itself is a stadium that is becoming very antiquated, with unsatisfactory facilities. Stadium capacity today is just under 12,000 fans, but Panionios have recorded higher crowds, with a record of 20,950 fans in 1974 attending their fixutre vs Panathinaikos.

Modern complaints about the stadium have related to lack of supporter facilities in the stadium and safety concerns over getting people out of the ground quickly in an emergency.

 

 

 

 

[FMunderachiever]

2019-2020 Season: President Christos Daras Makes An Unusual Decision

Against a backdrop of financial uncertainty and almost certain relegation, in late June 2019, Panionios President Christos Daras makes the bold decision of removing manager Leonidas Volokos from his role as manager, and decides to hire an untested, unfamiliar name from England without the ability to speak Greek, to oversee the process of rebuilding the club.

The Objective

• In the immediate short term, save the club from relegation in the 2019-2020 season
• Look to implement a pass and move, possession based style of play
• Look to develop talent from within through the development squad, to sell for profit
• Remove the highest earners from the wage bill and shorten contract lengths
• Look to set up an affiliate club as a source of loan deals into the club
• In the medium term of 3-5 years, have the club in a position to challenge regularly in the top half of the table, at the point the league splits
• Once a sound financial footing has been established, improve the Nea Smyrni stadium and training facilities.

 

Our pre season target from President Daras is to ensure we work within the wage budget, to reach the 6th round of the Greek Cup, and to escape relegation from the Superleague, before some more long term objectives are discussed if the imminent threat of relegation can be avoided.

However, given the nature of the transfer embargo, we will be coaching and improving what we already have at the club, and placing our trust in them until the transfer embargo is lifted.

 

An assessment of the squad is to follow.

This is the first time ive contributed to the careers forum as opposed to the tactics forum. Hopefully everyone likes the thread and the club so far

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by FMunderachiever

[Sheriff7]

A great idea!A very historical club in a very beautifull area of Attika.Many great players start their career there.Good luck!

 

[FMunderachiever]

PRESEASON-MEETING THE PLAYERS AND THE STAFF; DEMANDS MADE ALREADY TO PRESIDENT DARAS

On my first day at Panionios, I am greeted with a small group of players and staff. Indeed, I inherit a club without anyone in the scouting department or a director of football. We move quickly to bring in a couple of low cost scouts with decent reputation, and look to set up some basic assignments to begin the process of rejuvenating the squad.

In the players meeting, i introduce myself in what can only be described as broken Greek, and tell the group of players I believe they can stay up. The lads seem fired up for the challenge and give me a positive response, and i will really need the group to "buy in" to my methods quickly if we are to survive the season.

A positive meeting is held with President Christos Daras, and we begin the process of looking for an affiliate club to borrow players from. He shares my belief that this is a good idea, in the short term at least.

 

ASSESSING THE GROUP

Some local based friendlies vs lower league Greek opposition are the perfect chance to do some intensive work with the players, and get to know the group, before we embark on the pre season tour of Germany. So, who are we working with for this season?

Goalkeepers

Matic Kotnik will fill the number one jersey this season. One of the more senior, and better players in the squad, Kotnik will be ably backed up by Frenchman Malherbe, who will be given game time in the Greek Cup.

The Defenders

A real area of weakness in the squad. There is no "standout" defender at centreback, with all options limited for pace, and all with mental attributes of positioning and anticipation lower than I would want from a Premier Division team. I sense this will be an issue throughout the season and there could be some chopping and changing in this area. Evangelou is a loanee from Olympiakos with potential, but experienced defender Domingues starts the season with a long term injury.

In the full back positions, Giorgios Saramantas should give us some extra impetus down the left with his decent pace and stamina, combined with passing and crossing ability. In the right back position, Thanasis Papageorgiou keeps his spot for now, whilst Vasilis Rentzas overcomes a hip injury. Neither of these players look to offer much in an attacking sense.

Edited April 20, 2020 by FMunderachiever

[migeo]

Panionios are famous for producing some of the most exciting prospects in greek football history. Hope you can revive this historic club. Good luck!

[FMunderachiever]

The Midfielders

It will be of huge importance this season, that the experienced pairing of captain Panagiotis Korbos, and the combative Serbian Novica Maksimovic stay fit and maintain form, if we are to have a good season. Korbos looks the ideal candidate to offer defensive assurance to the weak centreback area, with Maksimovic providing the legs in the middle of the park to contribute in both boxes.

Nemanja Milojevic is knocking on the door of the Greek under 21 side. It will be interesting under the right coaching how he progresses, and gives us some much needed creativity and versatility of attributes that could see him play a wide midfield role.

The Wide Men And Forwards

Dimitris Emmanoulidis is our real only "out and out" wide man,but at 19 and on loan from Panathinaikos he is very much learning his craft. He does inject athleticism and pace into the side though. Sotiris Tsiloulis will most certainly be required to chip in with goals from the wide left and right positions when necessary, and Giannis Papanikolau provides the wide back up.

In the centre forward positions, we are undoubtedly weak. It would be the first area I would be looking to strengthen. Bachana Arabouli will lead the line, but doesnt have the pace and off the ball movement of a man i would entrust to lead the line.

Kostas Doumtsios and Kostantinos Morfakis provide back up to Arabouli, but a big responsibility rests on the shoulders of young Morfakis should he be required to step into the first team.

[FMunderachiever]

PRESEASON - LACK OF ASSETS TO SELL, A TRANSFER BAN, AND INTENSIVE TEAMWORK SESSIONS

Preseason completed. Very little to report on due to the club circumstances. We cant bring anyone over the age of 23 in, but dont have the budget to bring anyone in if we could, with the tiny wage budget we have.

Not only that, but looking through the squad and the areas we have a lack of depth, raising transfer funds through sales is going to be a real issue as the only player we have that commands a decent fee is Bachana Arabuli and he is our senior recognised striker. So, unusually for me, we will be going in with what weve got. Thats it. We need to make the best of it with the players we have available.

Ive made some changes to the staff and recruited a couple of new members of staff with good reputation for working with youth. We will have to grow from within in order to have players to sell, so giving them good coaching is essential.

TACTICAL THOUGHTS

We are going into the season with an asymmetric base tactic.

The philosophy is very simple, try and avoid needless turnovers of the ball with shorter passing, but movement inbetween the lines. A higher mentality on the left side of the field to hopefully overload the opposition, leaving some space for Emmanoulidis with his bursts of acceleration to make back post runs to meet the end of crosses.

Defensively however, no doubt we are weak

RESULTS

A mixed bag of results, against a mixed bag of talent in the opposition. Not too much point analysing the matches until we get to the serious stuff.....next