Cash crisis hits Anorthosis

Cypriot UEFA Cup representatives Anorthosis Famagusta FC have shocked the island's football community after it was announced that they will be parting company with four first team players.

Too expensive
Christos Kotsonis, Stavros Foukaris, Loucas Louca and more surprisingly Anorthosis and Cyprus' long standing goalkeeper Nicos Panagiotou, have all been released after it was stated that the club can no longer afford their salaries. Kotsonis - a Cypriot international who is regarded as one of the best attacking midfield players on the island - has agreed a fee of €68,500 to buy out his contract with defender Foukaris and midfield player Louca also leaving on the same terms. Panagiotou, however, has yet to resolve his severence terms with the Famagusta club.

Domestic success
All four players have played a vital role in Anorthosis' success in previous years, especially last season when they won the Cypriot Cup with a 1-0 victory against Ethnikos Achnas FC in the final. Anorthosis finished runners-up in last season's Cypriot first division, a point behind champions APOEL Nicosia FC

UEFA cup duties
Anorthosis face Luxembourg side CS Grevenmacher on the 15 August at the GSP stadium in Nicosia in the first leg of their UEFA Cup tie, with the second leg to be played on 29 August in Luxembourg. Anorthosis have always been one of the finer Cypriot representatives in UEFA Cup competitions with previous victories against Athletic Club Bilbao, Legia Warszawa and Bulgarian side FC Shumen.