Who better “reads” his needs and strengthens himself correctly in January… | Blog – Yannis Seritis

Yannis Seritis writes about winter shopping, made more important by European commitments and the “four”‘s fight for a title that will likely be decided again in the qualifiers.

Little by little, I started writing transfer reports before January. Makes sense, because we are now entering the second semi of the first period of the season. Many-many… We are done with the 2023 derby. We have one match left, Olympiacos on Sunday – PAOK. Eight and…one and a half, if the EPC Appeals Committee decides that Olympiacos and Panathinaikos will continue. So the research is ongoing and this is a must for any self-respecting team.

Because the league this year may be more competitive than last year, the January transfer window will play a more important role than last year! Perhaps a lot, given that two of the four contenders who were sitting on their sofa in midweek last year will continue in 2024 in European competitions: it is difficult for AEK to finish last in their group, it is difficult for Panathinaikos to finish fourth, Due to the very difficult situation faced by Maccabi Haifa “in exile” due to the war situation that has great power inside…

Yes, four are my competitors, despite the big difference between AEK and PAOK last Sunday. Even if PAOK loses to Olympiacos, four will remain. The history of the league this year has proven that everyone has really bad nights. AEK vs. OVI, Panathinaikos vs. AEK, Olympiacos vs. Panathinaikos, PAOK vs. Enos. Everyone should look at their home! Especially in light of the winter transfer season, to consider every detail! Absences due to the Asian Cup (12/1-10/2) and the African Cup (13/1-11/2), injuries, weaknesses of some players, everything. If the four believe that the title will be decided in the details, in each qualifying match, they are required to make targeted and precise moves for only one clear reason: what will be “written” on the list on January 31 will not be erased. And with that they will go ahead and finish the season.

Yes, there are clear needs. From AEK to left back, from Panathinaikos to stopper, from Olympiakos to stopper and extra 6-8 ready because in the end Ese will… faint, in PAOK… depending on what everyone sees. It’s difficult for PAOK, because he needs a lot if he wants to overcome the three and lift the cup: the main striker, the main stopper, the main right-back and all three are “coming out” for him! But all this is the surface. What we see outside. Every coach sees a lot every day, not 1-2 times a week, league and European matches. Therefore, we do not rule out surprises.

Two footnotes instead of a conclusion…

• A) Especially in the winter transfer season, timing is of great importance. A typical example: last year Panathinaikos got Mancini, Kleinheisler (on a four-year contract (!), they probably won’t “get” a second season), and Pohats. He got… half of the three, if we compare – perhaps incorrectly – the Argentine with Aitor Last year, we said a “typical” example, not an absolute one.
• b) Countless ‘potatoes’ were made in January, but players who had a great career in Greece were also acquired. Very recent examples so as not to get into the seasons… Jared And Savevsky Which was already obtained in January. Last year, Olympiacos secured the best right-back in the league in January (Rodney) and excellent extreme (boat). Last year, Panathinaikos took him Jasinovic Who “tied” the whole team, then made amazing playoffs and lifted the cup. In 2019, PAOK Ginares finished at the top of the league for three years (InjasonIn January 2017, he was the striker who scored the most goals, with whom he also won the tournament (Prigovic). So let’s not underestimate the importance of winter shopping. Especially since the season was decided in a playoff game.

Note Vassilis Samprakos is absolutely right about the EPO’s commitment to introducing the new head of the KED, Peter Freudfeld, and he in turn publicly presents his plan and thoughts on Greek arbitration. Not just for definitions of every match day in the next seven months. This should not be the primary concern of every KED president. But Greek football itself imposes this in its own way on Clattenburg and Bennett. They are judged solely by whether they can find a competent foreign referee for the derby. Fall of the 1950s – 1960s. When a president of refereeing emerges… one day, who will sign a contract of at least three years and whose first goal will be to rebuild Greek refereeing as a whole, we will talk again. But in the current situation at the EPO, where most people are concerned with what to do with the next president’s administration (who may already be “locked in”) from the summer onwards, this is not going to happen.