Baltakos: “I have an opinion on Poyet’s calls, but I can’t say it”

The issues of the Greek national team and those of foreign referees were mentioned in an interview by Takis Baltakos.

The EPO president emphasized that he has a personal opinion on his calls Gustavo Poyet, which he can’t say because he doesn’t want to disturb the atmosphere of the team. He also underlined that in the next few days the EPO will announce the decisions regarding the fiasco with the international cards.

From there, he focused on EPO’s actions to support the flood and fire-affected PES.

In detail, Takis Baltakos spoke to “Metrosport” about:

-EPO’s actions to support the flood and fire-affected PES: “We will try to help the Unions in Thessaly and Evros, as football is secondary at the moment. We as EPO also want to help socially. We will send water to Thessaly, to all prefectures. We have done it verbally and we will do it in writing as well, so that UEFA can also help the teams. We will also ask UEFA to play their veteran team from the 1990s and 2000s to play a friendly game between them and the proceeds will go to the flood victims».

-the dialogue with Ceferin: “We announced the dialogue with Ceferin. I took the necessary steps to have foreign referees at the weekend, but it is understood that if we have a similar incident with verbal or physical violence towards a referee, then we will not have foreign referees again and that will be the last time. We have tired both UEFA and its president. There will be a foreign referee in PAOK-Aris as well».

-how UEFA was convinced about foreign referees: “Last Monday I sent a letter to Super League 1 and the Deputy Minister of Sports and at the end I said it would be appropriate for you to assure that there will be no physical or verbal violence against referees. Super League 1 did it yesterday, otherwise foreign referees wouldn’t come. I said at the Champions League draw that we want elite foreign referees in derbies and at some point this matter must end. Foreigners look at me strangely and wonder what is going on in Greece».

-the issue with the Polish referee: “The issue with the Polish referee does not concern us, but UEFA and the Polish federation. If there is involvement of a Greek team, the EPO will be informed. Apparently there wasn’t».

-the mistake with the cards: “It is a mistake that Konstantinidis and Fyssas have admitted, we will deal with deciding who was at fault, what happened and we will announce the decisions in the coming days. This mistake would have consequences if we didn’t have a good result, it may have consequences in the future».

-Poyet’s choices: “I have had a discussion, but it is not public. We are obliged to respect the decisions of the coach and it is judged by the result. We have to let him make his choices and he is judged at the end, not every day. I have a personal opinion about the invitations and I can’t say it because I don’t want to disturb the atmosphere of the national team».