Papafotiou on sport-fm.gr: “Why not a European final with Panathinaikos this year”!

The teams of the championships volleyball they have long started their preparations ahead of the new season, in which the bar is expected to be high.

THE Men’s Volleyball League of the 2023-24 season will actually start the Monday, September 25 with the lottery, which will take place in Kalamata. As far as the women’s championship is concerned, everything is set in motion, with the first serve to be scheduled for the October 21 and with the 12 teams ready to achieve the goals they have set since the beginning of their preparation.

One of these teams is the champion Panathinaikos. The “greens” managed last year, in a year with several fluctuations, to put behind them, the defeat in the Cup final by AEK, to stand on their feet and conquer the trophy, after three shocking finals with Olympiakos, from the whom it emerged that MVP she was Athena Papafotiou.

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The leader of the “clover”, but also vice-president of the Panhellenic Association of Paid Volleyball Players (PA.S.A.P)during the established Media Day of Panathinaikos A.O. talk to sport-fm.gr and Giorgos Zachariou about her team’s goals ahead of the new season, the level of the sport in Greece and specifically for women, while she also made an important reference to the television broadcasts, for which PA.S.A.P. gives a “battle” in order for the sport to have the visibility it deserves.

The statements of Athena Papafotiou on sport-fm.gr and Giorgos Zachariou in detail:

What are your expectations for the new season?

“First of all, I wish health to all the divisions and to all the athletes, because we create everything else, but we must have health and it is the most important thing. A new year begins, in a league that will be much more competitive. I think we all realized the difference between last year and last year’s championship and what we expect is that the next one will be much more difficult.

For us, our goals are clear from the beginning. That’s how it is when you play for Panathinaikos, we want the championship, the Cup and a better course in Europe (as last year Panathinaikos reached the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup) compared to last year and why not get to play and in a final”.

You are the captain of the team that has won the championship and always has high goals. How do you collect all this?

“It is particularly honorable to have this position and this role in a team like Panathinaikos. However, at taraflex we are all the same. All equal and we contribute in our own way. The whole point is inside the stadium. Whether you are a captain or not, you should represent the values ​​and ideals that Panathinaikos stands for, and by extension sports. And I am very happy to be in Panathinaikos for the last few years, which is showing in practice its passion to strengthen in order to be and remain at the top”.

Last year, we saw Panathinaikos play some attractive volleyball at intervals and produce enough quality in the finals against Olympiakos. What can we see different this year?

“In the opinion that we saw a higher level in the semi-finals with AEK. It is a shame that even the finals and semi-finals were not covered by television, because they are very interesting matches and it was a shame that the fans of the sport did not see it.

We have players from the biggest leagues in Europe and it will be a team with its own characteristics which we will also be looking for. It’s already too early. There will certainly be mood, competitiveness and willingness to win every point and even now as we speak we are creating our identity”.

If you had to choose between winning the double and a European trophy, which choice would you make?

“I will not choose between the two, because these titles do not come with wishes. They come with a lot of work and there is no choice. You fight, give it your all and see what you can get in the end. I can’t answer that. We are here to fight for everything and get what we deserve. This is our role, to fight for everything and make a “fund” at the end”.

What is it like to work with Yannis Kalmazidis? Does he give you any special advice?

“The main thing is that he is not complacent. It requires every player to be committed and give 100%. The important thing is that he claims the best from you. He does not stop at what you have given because he knows that you can give even more in order to improve you. I think that was the key element last year that helped us turn it around and take the trophy in an up and down year.

It doesn’t matter if you are a leader or not. For the coach, we are all the same. For me being a passer he tries to guide me on how to keep my mind clear and keep my cool. It is a difficult position where there are many “distractions” because you have to make the best choice in the pass. But this is the game we play. The coach knows very well how to make me manage it”.

Regarding the television broadcasts of the sport, Athena Papafotiou said: “I believe that there is no common goal from the agencies involved. It’s a shame the top women’s sport isn’t televised. It is up to the teams to cover it either via WEB TV or YouTube. I urge everyone to find a solution together. The Federation and the competent state mechanisms are responsible.

Too bad, because they reduce the value of the product. For example, in the semi-finals and finals we saw what games were played and what dynamics volleyball has and we didn’t see it on TV. It’s like you want to keep your own product down. We, the athletes, through PASAP, are trying to do something about it, but the reality is that it is in the hands of others. We hope to make it at some point”.