Nioplias: “I have a bitterness in me, I have achieved things and I am out”

“I have a bitterness in me, I have achieved things and I am out”… In this way Nikos Nioplias expressed his complaint about the behavior he has received in his career as a coach in statements he made to Metrosport.

The Greek technician continued by saying: “They call me difficult, but I’m not, give me arguments to understand what I’m doing wrong, to listen to you. I don’t mind why I’m leaving, I don’t mind why you took me, that’s what I told a group when I was asked to leave. I’m not saying I’m the best, but to be on the front line for 40 years, I’m successful”he added.

His statements in detail:



On his coaching career so far:



“As a human being I will tell the truth, without wanting to hurt anyone or bring malice. Now I am very well, we are growing as I have been in the field since 1983, I got tired with the two previous jobs I had at OFI and Levadeiako. I love my job, if something good comes of it I would like it, but I see that we are not respected as coaches. For example, I took OFI out of the relegation zone, we got saved, we made a points record and then I left. The following year at Levadeiakos we started with 15 unbeaten games in 16 matches and they kicked me out, I’m not at the stage of my career to take a suitcase and leave, I can’t stand the mockery, I don’t need the money after so many years of career.

I have a bitterness in me, I have achieved things and I am out. They call me difficult, but I’m not, give me arguments to understand what I’m doing wrong, to listen to you. I don’t mind why I’m leaving, I don’t mind why you took me, that’s what I told a group when I was asked to leave. I’m not saying I’m the best, but to be on the front line for 40 years, I’m successful.”

For the battle of the championship:



“The championship will be very strong again, it will be decided between February and March. PAOK is a ready team, with good material, AEK does not have Europe and also has good material. PAOK won the championship with 120 goals, Panathinaikos got good players, but they don’t score, how will you win the championship without the 80 goals you need? PAOK has Tisundali, they have Tsalof who came from another league and will struggle, while opposite Panathinaikos they only have Ioannidis and Bakaseta”.

For PAOK, AEK, Panathinaikos



“For me, PAOK and AEK have an advantage, 3 years for Almeida, one life for Lucescu. Alonso I don’t know how long he will stay at Panathinaikos, but I, as a coach, am with the coach. AEK plays a bad first half, in the second AEK shows badly and Panathinaikos takes advantage of it, but it looks like they will have difficulties. He has a roster of unused players and that affects the dressing room.”

For Mars:



“Aris has a good team, a good roster, but somewhere it loses the balance with the smaller teams. Let’s say the day before yesterday, PAOK could have won the game in the first half, but then they managed it properly. Ares should be more killer towards the smaller ones. As players and as a team, Aris is very good.”

For Konstantinos:



“Constantelias is my weakness. After Constantinople, everyone was talking about Giannis. After that game he could go 40 million from the 15 he costs now. He could pass to Chalov at one point, then he had the assist and thirdly a phase where he makes a low-hanging pass to his teammate, three phases that would launch him. He is a top footballer, he does actions that world-class players do and you watch them and admire them, like Pedri.”

About Christos Jolis:



“I saw Christos at Fortuna last year, he is making an excellent performance with Ireland. There you get a transfer, no one will see PAOK in Peristeri, they will see PAOK in Galata, in Malmo. You see such games that you don’t even want to go to the toilet, you say I’ll do it to myself.”

For Koulierakis:



“When I saw Koulierakis, I was impressed in a pre-season friendly, I turned around and said, look at a left-footed defender and now I see where the kid has arrived.”