Rival Analysis: Apollon Smyrnis profile
Paokfc.gr’s Rival Analysis column puts the magnifying glass on our mid-week opponents Apollon Smyrnis, giving you the lowdown on everything you need to know about the Elafra Taxiarchia ahead of our Super League Interwetten contest at Rizoupoli.
Unlike last season, when the team secured they stay in the top flight relatively comfortably, this campaign is not going the way that the Elafra Taxiarchia would have wanted.
Apollon are in last place in the standings with just nine points. In total, from the 18 games they have played, the Athens club have only one victory – against PAS Giannina – six draws and 11 defeats!
It’s a similar story in the Greek Cup where the Athenian club was dumped out in the fifth round thanks to a 1-0 defeat by Kifissia.
The team’s poor performances has led the team’s management to make «several» changes in the technical leadership. The season started with Giannis Petrakis in charge, but he was not there long. Gianluca Festa came in to improve the team, but he also did not last long. Lefteris Velentzas was installed as interim boss until the most recent incumbant, Marco Grote was appointed.
The club’s management then hedged their bets on the 49-year-old German, but his tenure lasted just five games. Just a few hours before the match with PAOK, it was announced by the club that the new coach will be Festa, who will return to immediately start working and try to provide solutions.
Apollon’s main problem is their attack. With just seven goals, they are by far the second-worst attack in the league, a performance that has deprived them of many criucial points.
The squad is not without quality, featuring some talented and experienced players, and they were particularly active in the January transfer market.
Right winger Giannis Gianniotas, who returned to Greece after three years, has come in, Nikola Jakimovski has joined from AEL, Norwegian stopper Thomas Rogne joined as a free agent from Lech Poznan, defender Raman Chibsa from Bochum, 24-year-old German midfielder Carlos Signevich from Sandhausen, and 26-year-old Slovenian international goalkeeper Grega Sorcan came to fill the gaps and strengthen the team in their difficult battle ahead until the season finale.
Apollon’s squad for the match includes the following players:
Kotsaris, Verhulst, Dentakis, Baxevanidis, Riley, Toutouarima, Lisgaras, Jakimovski, Vitlis, Fation, Papageorgiou, Kastro, Martinez, Kragiopoulos, Gianniotas, Pamlidis, Signevich, Tsiloulis, van La Parra, Ioannidis.
