THE Takis Baltakos he addressed all the hot issues of Greek football, from the national team and the Poget issue to refereeing! In the interview he gave to NOVA.
In fact, the president of the EPO also spoke about it subject of arbitration and foreign arbitrators in the Greek league, making the excuse of “shame that we need foreign referees”.
Takis Baltakos’ statements in detail:
On whether it has fulfilled its objectives: “No I have not fulfilled them, my goals were twofold. To finance amateur football, something that has been achieved so far, and the second is for the national team to do well. He had two stages, he did well last year by qualifying for the Nations League, I hope we can finish well in June-July and have done well then as well.”
On what he likes about the National Team: “I see a discipline in the game. The way the players compete is compatible with what the coach asks of them. In the locker room the atmosphere is even more successful because the fact that the team is a family can be seen from every little detail. Teams don’t win with players on the pitch. They win as teams. Having a good team is better than having good players. This team has a family atmosphere, homogeneity, this can be seen from the results.”
The father of the family is the coach, there was talk of him leaving, is his contract expiring?: “Of whom much was said. Not from the EPO. We didn’t say anything.”
On whether the Greek national team continues with him: “We have a contract until March. For later I can’t answer as of now, we have an executive committee. I cannot say anything that will bind the remaining 16.”
But doesn’t he have a vote of confidence? “Yes. But the words I said a while ago reflect on the coach. And to the players and the federation and the management. But I can’t say that. What I said is in favor of Poget.”
But will everything be decided in March? “I didn’t say that. I said I could not bind the committee. I cannot say anything today that will bind the entire EPO”.
Why did Mr Poget go public with his assistant? “You must ask Mr. Poget. I can’t answer for him.”
Did he also make a statement in Northern Ireland that he could be a candidate? “He said what his contract says. It wasn’t something inelegant.”
On whether the issue with Poget’s partner was resolved: “I don’t think there’s any need for a meeting about this. It was handled by financial services, which are controlled by a foreign large international accounting firm. We cannot pay without a Greek VAT number. It still hasn’t been resolved, if it doesn’t get a VAT number it won’t be resolved. It’s a very small matter.”
For Kostas Fortounis and Yiannis Constantelias and their non-call: “I have an opinion and I don’t know what to say, I won’t say it now either. They had asked me then. I will not say it publicly about the calls of the players that the coach calls. We don’t judge him publicly, you support him to death, otherwise you don’t have a team.”
For the closed doors in the matches and if steps have been taken to stop this from continuing: “There were too many doors that were closed. There was a climate of fear that something like August would happen. It was more of a celebration with France and less of closed doors. Not a good picture. We have thoughts on how it will be resolved definitively and we will see it from the next game. The Police are afraid of throwing objects. We made a great effort to open more doors with France.”
On what’s going on with the training center: “It has run its course. The first step one has to climb is money. If you don’t have the yeast you can’t be used by FIFA and UEFA. The amount at the moment is 11.5 million, it can change. Since February when the team left for Agios Kosmas we have collected an amount and then some money came. We have given two spaces and once they are approved the work will proceed to one of them.
When I went to see the training center in Portugal, I saw a large closed room that had ropes running from one wall to the other, a meter off the floor. This space is for player clothing. From qualifying for the Euro we will get nine million and these will be used for the training center”.
For the love that the national team needs, as Giorgos Tzavellas also stated: “The national team needs much more love. I would like to say publicly that when the bus left and went through all of Athens to reach New Philadelphia, people were applauding, policemen, motorbikes were nearby. It was really beautiful.”
For him if he runs for a new term: “I’m not answering that thing now. There are also legal issues. It’s still early, it’s not right to open it now and I don’t want to open it myself.”
On the rivalry he has with the Super League: “The word is misused. What you just said, and what many others are saying, is a verse by Savvopoulos. Attack on me with a knife, I wasn’t there, I forgive him. I have nothing against the league. I don’t see the reason to have.”
On Super League’s reaction to what he’s doing: “Once we made an announcement. I am institutional, there is a statute in the EPO. The Super League is a member of the General Assembly. It is not reasonable for EPO to come against a member. The EPO is the whole, it deals with the amateur league, the academies, it is primarily for them. EPO is the top of the pyramid. The Super League gives money, just like amateur football, I haven’t done the money comparison. We don’t have just one national team, we have 14. They have income and expenses.”
On whether the Cup final will be crowded and the thoughts that existed last year to be held abroad: “It’s a goal for this year. It’s not the first time. In 2022 there were people and there were episodes. The idea of ​​abroad is a good idea, not because of the episodes, but because there is Hellenism outside of Greece. Last season, we have said and announced what happened in the final, it was confusing. They certainly won’t happen this season, which is running now.”
Source: Sport Fm
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