https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/12...
3 year deal. Like Cacace nice to have a coach who speaks English, and knows a bit about him straight off.
Xanthi were in the Greek top flight last season, but after finishing in the relegation playoff spot, lost a two legged playoff series to Apollon Smirnis.
Be interesting to see how Poppa goes. Ange Postecoglou had about 6 months coaching in the Greek 3rd Div in 2008 (pre Brisbane Roar).
why do I think a kiwi has played for them before?
How many young kiwis have moved to Europe this last month!
Leo Bertos trialed at this club
They just signed a 33 year old RB, so guess Callan will start off as an understudy to him.
From this week's Flying Kiwis.
"A businessman called Bill Papas swept in and bought the club to clean things up and bring a bit of ambition to the club’s rebuild. But who is Bill Papas? Well, he’s the president of NPL side Sydney Olympic. An Australian dude. And pretty much the first proper thing he did as owner was to hire Tony Popovich to coach the team (along with a couple of his Perth Glory assistants).
There is an appeal from the club to try and restore their top flight status but those things don’t tend to be too successful so in the meantime they’re pretty much putting together a new squad from scratch. That includes a bunch of local players but it also reportedly includes Matt Jurman, Josh Brillante, Poppa’s two teenage sons... and now Callan Elliot who is expected to sign a three year contract."
Be interesting to see how that goes. Not sure Greek football fans would be that receptive to ideas their Australian coach was indulging in any hint of nepotism re team selections.
Apparently Xanthi were only relegated from the top flight (after 30 years there) due to being deducted 12 points, after some dodgy ownership transactions also involving PAOK. I'm sure their fans will be expecting a return straight back to the 1st tier. Could be an interesting season for Elliot.
Looks like he was on the bench during a 1-0 friendly win this morning
Start of Greek 2nd tier season delayed. Covid related no doubt.
Games continue to be postponed.
Greek 2nd tier remains postponed.
Thumb twiddling for Elliott and Popovic family.
Greek 2nd tier remains postponed.
Thumb twiddling for Elliott and Popovic family.
hope hes getting paid ontime
Looks like Greek 2nd tier will finally start their season 10th Jan (Covid situation permitting I guess).
Clubs given permission to have group trainings.
Sadly a false start. Greek 2nd tier back to being postponed indefinitely it seems. Well 24th Jan at this stage.
Top tier is continuing.
Greek 2nd tier season finally commences.
3 of the 4 scheduled games actually happen on day 1.
Xanthi are to travel to Apollon Larissa for their first match tomorrow.
Greek 2nd tier season finally commences.
3 of the 4 scheduled games actually happen on day 1.
Xanthi are to travel to Apollon Larissa for their first match tomorrow.
Contrasting emotions for Xanthi's Aussie brigade.
Matt Jurman (aka Thymianis??) with a 93rd min OG, to cancel out Josh Brilliante's earlier strike, in a 1-1 draw with Apollon Larissa.
Unfortunately no Cam Elliott for Xanthi it seems, unless he has a Greek alias. Though I note some inconsistencies with match report on Xanthi's website verus Soccerway.
From Xanthi's FB, Elliot was on the bench in game 1. No idea if he got on.
https://www.facebook.com/xanthifc1967/photos/a.481...
But I'm sure he will get some playing time, as the games come thick & fast (Covid willing), with basically half the season lost already.
Xanthi play again Thursday morning NZ time.
Xanthi with a 1-0 win over Ionikos.
Elliott on the bench.
Unused sub in a 1-1 draw at Levadiakos (2nd).
Xanthi 5th.
Unused sub in a 0-0 draw with Chania (7th)
Of the former A League players at Xanthi (5th), only Jurman is really getting playing time at the moment.
Xanthi with a 2-1 loss at Ergotelis (3rd).
Elliot not in match day squad.
Izzo, Jurman & Brillante all got starts.
Xanthi (7th) with a 1-0 win over Karaiskakis (12th & last).
Looks like Elliott wasn't in match day squad.
Yet to get any minutes, injured, or not good enough?
Yet to get any minutes, injured, or not good enough?
Even semi political as Poppa navigates Greek club football?? Who knows.
But up until recently only Jurman of Aussie/Kiwi players he bought in was really getting much minutes. Lately Brillante & Izzo also starting. Not always easy to change your keeper, esp if maybe incumbent a long standing one. One of Popovic's sons on the bench for this morning's game.
Slowly giving his ex A League contingent more spots in the match day squad, as locals get used to the idea?
Aussie club owner, but will be pressure on Poppa to get promotion straight back up, or likely get sacked. Xanthi's first time in the 2nd tier for 30 odd years or something.
Pity for Elliot who based on the way he finished last season for the Nix, would be the starting RB for this season.
Not in match day squad as Xanthi (3rd) beat Trikala (4th) 1-0.
Looks like a Popovic jnr, Izzo & Brillante all started.
Not in match day squad as Xanthi (3rd) beat Trikala (4th) 1-0.
Looks like a Popovic jnr, Izzo & Brillante all started.
https://twitter.com/fcxanthi?lang=en
What's going on? Send him back Tony!
Seems not in match day squad as Xanthi (6th) lose 1-0 at Diagoras (5th)
Xanthi (5th) with a 2-1 win over OF Ierapetra (12th).
Again seems Elliot not in match day squad.
It appears that Popovic has been let go as coach. Hope this doesn't leave Callan in the footballing wilderness. He played so well for us at the end of last season.
Has Popovic been "let go"? The media release doesn't look like a sacking. Wonder if he's resigned to take the Victory job.
Would take Callan in a heartbeat, very short on fullback cover, especially with Payne at CB.
https://xanthifc.gr/index.php/anakoinosi-130/
The Board of Directors of AO XANTHI PAE, announces the immediate end of its cooperation with the Team Coach, Tony Popovic.
Mr. Bill Papas, President of AO XANTHI PAE, states: "I want to thank Tony for the excellent work he has offered to the team since September 2020 when he took office. With great sadness and respect for Tony, we announce the end of our partnership. I wish Tony and his family all the best for the future. "
Should come back. We need a proper RB.
It's hard to judge from thousands of miles away. Plus no one knew that the first half of the Greek 2nd tier season would be postponed due to Covid, and I don't remember any official news that Elliot turned down a Nix contract - but this does now shape as a classic case of a young player who would have been better advised to stay and try for 2-3 seasons as an A League regular first.
Aka Singh, Cacace etc.
Elliot will have a right to be annoyed if it's Popa bailing on Xanthi, and not the coach being sacked.
Ange Postecoglou has a good chapter in his book, about his volatile time coaching a 3rd Division Greek side. He fell out with club management and left after only about 6 months.
Has Popovic been "let go"? The media release doesn't look like a sacking. Wonder if he's resigned to take the Victory job.
Would take Callan in a heartbeat, very short on fullback cover, especially with Payne at CB.
Hearing rumours that the Greek players allegedly refused to play for Popa, giving Papas no choice but to let him go. Unfortunate situation all around - we want our Aussies abroad to thrive. What does this mean for Brillante, Jurman, Izzo, Elliot and Popa’s sons now?
— Lucy Zelić (@LucyZelic) February 22, 2021
Has Popovic been "let go"? The media release doesn't look like a sacking. Wonder if he's resigned to take the Victory job.
Would take Callan in a heartbeat, very short on fullback cover, especially with Payne at CB.
Hearing rumours that the Greek players allegedly refused to play for Popa, giving Papas no choice but to let him go. Unfortunate situation all around - we want our Aussies abroad to thrive. What does this mean for Brillante, Jurman, Izzo, Elliot and Popa’s sons now?
— Lucy Zelić (@LucyZelic) February 22, 2021
The Greek players not liking playing second fiddle to the Aussie players.
Player power like that is not great... the club just made a huge mistake... how do they say no in the future, how do the explain team selection policies to a new manager?
Before selecting your starting 11, please check with local players first.
What a backwards ass mentality.
Welcome to Greek football... where idiocy, corruption and chaos reigns.
From Flying Kiwis.
https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/tony-popovic-sacke...
Ooookay, didn’t see this coming. Tony Popovic is already out at Xanthi, despite coming off a win and despite only being in charge for nine games and despite having been hand-picked by the club’s Aussie owner to take charge of their quest for promotion. And the club statement that announced the sacking (“The Board of Directors of AO XANTHI PAE, announces the immediate end of its cooperation with the Team Coach, Tony Popovic.”) only had two paragraphs and no explanation. Didn’t even make it to their twitter account.
It sounds like Popovic’s style of play hasn’t gone down too well, some chat about the local players not buying what Poppa’s selling. Callan Elliot hasn’t made his debut for the club but has been on the bench a couple times. Not sure what this means for him or indeed for any of the Aussie guys that Popovic brought over, SBS are reporting that they’re all shocked and they got some anonymous quotes from one of the ex-A-Legaue dudes that basically said: what, did they expect us to win every game 5-0 or something? Safe to say Pop’s two sons won’t be chuffed, we’ll see how Callan Elliot who wasn’t even playing anyway shakes out in due course. Who’d have though Popovic would last an even shorter time at Xanthi than Kevin Muscat did at STVV?
