Capital clubs lead Greek charge

Greek football is on the up. The national team is on the verge of qualifying for UEFA EURO 2004™ after victories against Spain and Ukraine and the country has the potential for three teams in the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time.

Optimistic time
Such successes, along with the Olympic Games next year, have seen a noticeable change in preparations for the new Ethniki Katigoria season, which gets under way on Saturday. Rather than splash the cash on big-name foreign signings, the leading clubs have largely put their faith in homegrown talent while some of the biggest names will promote Greek football abroad.

Athens dominates
The leading contenders in 2003/04 will be the usual suspects of Olimpiacos CFP, Panathinaikos FC and AEK Athens FC. The Athens-based clubs dominate a league centred on the Greek capital. Ten of the 16 teams come from the city or its neighbouring Pireaus area. Three other sides come from Thessaloniki - FC PAOK Thessaloniki, FC Aris Thessaloniki and Iraklis FC - while the remainder are Xanthi FC, OFI Crete and newcomers Paniliakos FC.

Balance required
Olimpiacos have brought in nine new faces in the summer including Greek international midfield players Giorgos Georgiadis and Pantelis Kafes on free transfers from PAOK, but several players have left. Ukrainian coach Oleh Protasov's biggest task would seem to be finding a balance between old and new. If it all comes together it would be hard to ignore their claims for an eighth championship in a row, especially as the club has a sound administrative and financial base.

All change
Last season's runners-up, Panathinaikos, have also undergone an extensive facelift over the summer. In Argyris Mitsou and Itzhak Shum, the club have a new president and coach not to mention eight new players - including Croatia midfield player Silvio Maric, Lithuania captain Raimondas Zutautas and, perhaps most significantly, highly regarded Romanian playmaker Lucian Sanmartean.

Great expectations
Panathinaikos fans were particularly frustrated by last season's title failure and have made their expectations known for the coming campaign. Panathinaikos have not won a league or cup since 1996 but they will be hampered without last season's stars Nikos Lyberopoulos and Giorgos Karagounis, who have moved on to AEK and Internazionale FC respectively.

Contrasting fortunes
Finally of the big three, there is AEK. On the pitch, under coach Dusan Bajevic, are an experienced bunch who won many rave reviews last season. Even the departure of the iconic Demis Nikolaidis to Club Atlético de Madrid has been covered with signings like that of Lyberopoulos.

European hope
But, away from the action, AEK have a tricky financial situation with a tight budget for the coming season. Bajevic has performed wonders to keep the nucleus of the team together although many will see qualification for the Champions League group stage as key. Unlike last year's top two, AEK must overcome a qualifying round tie against Grasshopper-Club, and trail 1-0 with the home leg to come on 27 August.

On the move
An intriguing aspect this season will be where clubs play their matches. Olimpiacos will continue to use the Rizoupoli stadium while their Karaiskaki home is refurbished. With the demolition of the Nikos Goumas stadium, AEK will share with Panionios SC for league games and with Panathinakos for European contests. Wherever the games, Greek fans will enjoy the spectacle: their football has come a long way and could be set for even better things in the months to come.