EPO’s downward spiral continues without end

Olympiacos FC brought Marcelo to Greece, and, all of the sudden, football became the first topic of discussion in the country due to the transfer and the spectacular welcome afforded to the Brazilian super star during his presentation.

These images showed the under-rated – and so bedeviled – Greek football product being shown on BBC, ESPN and Sky Sports: A football-related promotion for the entire country.

However, not only Marcelo, nor Lionel Messi, nor Christiano Ronaldo or Karim Benzema together can change the climate existing in Greek football for more than just a few days. The reason is because Greek pro football is a “sick man”. It’s deeply sick, and no one appears ready to help it recuperate, not even the FIFA and UEFA federations, who provocatively close their eyes and turn their back on successive scandals, all with the signature of the Hellenic Football Association (EPO).  The same holds true for the Greek state, which has abandoned the “battle” long ago.

This is how Tsiartas put it

No matter how many Marcelos, Bernards and Pep Biels come to Greece; no matter how certain investors try to raise the level of play, at the end of the day they remain trapped by a rotten “ring” that has transformed the country’s football federation into a den of illegality. The latter, led by President Takis Baltakos, appears as a mere puppet in the hands of those who actually call the shots …by remote control, at the federation’s headquarters.

It’s how former Greek international Vassilis Tsiartas put it in a recent interview, when describing a close associate of Dimitris Melissanidis: “Everyone knows that Yannakis Papadopoulos calls the shots at EPO.”

Referee tables

Unexplainable things have also occurred over the past few days with EPO’s referees’ tables, and with head referee Steve Bennett placing his signature on a series of incomprehensible decisions, essentially confirming that his selection as head of the Central Officiating Committee (KED) – in opposition to the large majority of super League members – wasn’t by chance. The abolition of TV spotters, whose creation he himself recommended when he was still an associate of former KED chief Mark Clattenburg, and before he became the latter’s successor, is indicative.
Trust us, however, there are worse instances, such as the unbelievable referee tables.

The great… bazaar

The Super League 2 championship (tier 2) still hasn’t started. The same holds true for the third division, and only Providence knows when it will begin.

Steve Bennett, however, who as Clattenburg’s assistant over the past few years was exclusively involved with referee observers – and this, while based in England – has apparently found a way  (possibly seen in some vision) to choose the best of the lot, and to fast-track elevate them to the Super League’s “penthouse”.

Not even the pretenses are kept up

Did he even keep up the pretenses for the ranking tables? Not by a long shot. He trusted his “instinct”, which by coincidence, is the same as Stavros Mantalos. If you don’t remember the latter as a referee, you couldn’t miss him, a few days earlier, warmly embracing Dimitris Melissanidis at the Rizoupolis field, just before the start of AEK Athens’ match with visiting PAS Yannina.

Clattenburg left and…

Mantalos also had an “opinion” about Clattenburg. Yet he kept it, obligingly, to himself, as the English head of officiating wouldn’t tolerate this, even in jest. Things seemed to have changed.

This seems as a logical progression, given that the federations are so indifferent that we are doomed to take steps backwards, returning to the era, before supervision, when local football club unions (EPS) did whatever they wanted with officiating and referee tables without a regard to anyone.

Do note a series of interesting names which, trust us, will soon be needed.

A …fish eater

Konstantinos Katikos (Athens association):  He officiated during the Super League’s “play out” round, but in one and only match, and in a game with no influence on the standings. Yet he failed to see a clear red card violation in front of him. Luckily, for him, the VAR crew caught it.

Those in charge of Greek football’s officiating at the time, and the referee observers, determined that he was “lacking”, despite the fact that observer Kalyvas offered “protection”, even in the face of  a serious officiating mistake. The result was that he returned to the fold, but for a short time, as it turned out.

Fast forward to the present, and it appears he now “sees” the field much better, including red card violations. Conversely, Steve Bennett now discerns his talent at officiating. Who knows, maybe the specific ref enjoyed plentiful amounts of seafood and fish over the summer, thus improving his eyesight.

On “Yannakis’” … fast track

Matsoukas-Polychronis: The two refs, from Aetoloakarnania and Pieria prefectures, respectively, were sixth and seventh in the rankings. Behold, though, they surpassed those with a better score and were also promoted to the first division.

The question is, on what merits and criteria? Nobody knows. The only thing dominating “water fountain” conversations in the federation’s corridors is how the two specific associations (Aetoloakarnania and Pieria) are among the “beloved” of the ring that has taken control of EPO.

A la italiana

What, you ask, is the federation doing about all of this? It’s merely allowing the trains to pass, discreetly looking the other way.
It only reacted against the Union of Football Clubs (EPS) of Piraeus, demanding its suspension because of the latter’s complaints against Bennett and his “close friend”, Eleni Lambadariou.

Obviously, to be made an example of, so no other EPS makes any public charge and ruins the … vision of a “new age”. Such practices are reminiscent of the Italian south and the powerful “families” there.

The scandal involving OPAP arena

Are there even worse? Of course, there are, when you talk about this “abscess”. No need to go far, just look at the case of the Opap Arena and the Regional Government. The head of licensing for the regional government of Attica, Evangelia Polyzoi, did her job responsibly and ethically. She ascertained and listed as series of omissions and violations dealing with AEK’s new stadium, violations which put spectators and athletes alike at risk, in a stadium that the regional government funded with 35 million euros! She should have known better, and not forgetting which country she lives.

Melissanidis’… foray

Dimitris Melissanidis was fuming, and when the “Tiger” loses his temper, the sports pages turn into… police news. He rushed into the hall during a meeting of the committee and launched a series of threats against Ms. Polyzoi and the rest of the committee members. At the same time, rumors spread of the resignation of the regional government special adviser for sports, who was also on the receiving end of Dimitris Melissanidis’ threats.

At the Attica police HQ

Of course, the AEK owner has done much worse. Whoever disputes this can ask the Portuguese referees during the infamous AEK-Aris game.
Ms. Polyzoi, however, didn’t let the threats against her and her family fall by the wayside, she turned to the authorities by filing a lawsuit at the extortion division of the Attica Police HQ.

If these are their practices vis-à-vis the regional government’s licensing committee, image what’s going on at a corrupted EPO and the repeated insults to the most popular sport.