Kosta Barbarouses (Western Sydney Wanderers | A-leagues)

Kosta started and got 79 mins in Monday evening's home match v Panionios - 0:0 draw.

Pana now 7th on the table but not far off the fourth-placed team.

http://www.soccerway.com/matches/2013/04/07/greece/super-league/panathinaikos-fc/panionios-nfc/1372988/

Kosta played well according to some tweets I read and you can see it here on You Tube that he was involved in much of their best attacking play, setting up chances and with goal attempts (denied a penalty early on). Pana unlucky not to score a few:

Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfoVWT5Ud7c&feature=player_embedded

Kosta must have impressed his manager last week as he played the full game in the 1-1 away draw with Olympiakos on Monday a.m. NZ time, a meritorious result considering Olympiakos are a much stronger side (because wealthier these days) and lead the table by 15 points. Pana remain on 7th.

http://www.soccerway.com/matches/2013/04/14/greece/super-league/olympiakos-cfp/panathinaikos-fc/1372997/

Goals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86R06i_QJ-c

Fan footage of game for atmosphere (flares, smoke etc.) - no love lost between these teams then:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is-dmz1JY_Y

Seems to be getting a bit more playing time isn't he? Is a full time switch on the cards?

Kosta played 74 mins in 3-2 home win vs. Veria on Sunday (Monday am NZ time)

http://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/04/21/greece/super-league/panathinaikos-fc/veria-fc/1373005/

Pana seem to be getting poor crowds this season - only 4352  at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday.

Highlights:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xz75ji_yyyyyyyyyyyy-yyyyyy-3-2-hl_sport#.UXnoZ7VTCSo

Don't think anyone can afford to go anymore

Kosta played the full game in the 3-0 win over Xanthi on the weekend:

http://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/05/09/greece/super-league/panathinaikos-fc/ao-xanthi/1471492/

Pana sixth on the table.

All goals here (Kosta threads the ball through for the first):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc6eAtNIa5E

Kosta is becoming a really integral part of this side, really involved in a lot of their best attacking play.

Looking good for the All Whites matches later in the year!

Only just over a thousand turned up at this match - though it wasn't played in Pana's 70,000 capacity Olympic Stadium, but in another much smaller Athens stadium, the 11,756 capacity "Stadio Néas Smírnis", home ground of fellow Athens club Panionios. Must be using this to cut costs?

You'd have been thought insane a couple of years ago if you'd said the Phoenix would be getting crowds several times bigger than Panathinaikos!!!

its a simple game when passes are played.

Panathinaikos announce their new manager Yannis Anastasiou, the former Ajax, Anderlecht and Roda JC striker (Ivan Vicelich's team-mate there).

http://www.pao.gr/el/news/?itemid=ec994380-6810-4e9c-9310-29affa74b511

Career details here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yannis_Anastasiou

Most recently Brian McDermott's assistant at Reading.

His playing for some years with Ivan Vicelich at Roda could work in Kosta's favour..

As a player, his most successfull spell was at Roda JC 2000- 2004 (114 apps, 48 goals)

Englishman Steve Rutter will be one of his assistants.

Pana finished this season in 6th place, 37 points behind winners and arch rivals Olympiakos.

Home Crowd ranking in Greek Super League 2012-13:

Team           Games      Totals          Avg

Olympiakos   15            313771        20918

PAOK            16            178,014       11,126

AEK               15            159,027       10,602

ARIS              15            121,818         8,121

Panathinaikos 15           120,674         8,045

 Platanias        15             36,686          2,446

Kosta made 11 appearances (6 starts, 5 as a sub), starting games more often in the last few months.

Now it's a matter of seeing if he ends up at Pana permanently from Alania Vladikavkaz.

By the way, Alania will be relegated from the Russian Premier League at the end of the season.

Wonder if he has a relegation release clause.

Good article linked on the home page.

Just wondered if Kosta speaks/understands Greek.  It must be much more comforting being in Athens than Russia (culturally I mean).

Some indication on these Panathinaikos news sites that the club want to extend his loan for another season:

http://www.newspao.gr/2013/04/blog-post_16.html

"Specifically, the planning for next year has begun and Pana want to clear up some issues outstanding. One of these is the future of Figueroa and Barbarousis. The management believe in the Argentinian and want to have him in a youthful Panathinaikos so that "built" around  this new group. It is worth noting what the management have to say about the professionalism of Figueroa and he shows willingness to remain and everything indicates that there will be no problem for the renewal of the two sides. Same case is about, Kostas Barbarousis. The homogeneous ace did not convince in the early season of Panathinaikos, however, recent performances have reversed the climate and the "Greens" believe that has a place on the roster of the new season. So Pana will make another attempt to come to terms with Alana Vlantikafkaz to renew for another year's borrowing."

http://prasinanea.gr/football/superleague/article2213144.ece

"Resident at Pana will continue to be probably Costas Barbarousis. The young midfielder has shown lately with performance that deserved more opportunities during the season and the Greens will have contact with Alanya to extend the loan for another season."

Probably going for a loan extension because of club's dire financial position.

The Greek Super League haven't granted them a licence for next season but the club are confident of over-turning this on appeal.

Sources for news on Kosta:

Unofficial news and comment page (translate):  http://www.prasini-autokratoria.blogspot.gr//search/label/%CE%A0%CE%BF%CE%B4%CF%8C%CF%83%CF%86%CE%B1%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%BF

Panathinaikos club official page (English version):  http://www.pao.gr/en/

Ha, "the homogenous ace" would definitely be one of google translate's better efforts.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/272419,kostas-greek-classic.aspx

great to see Kosta doing well

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/9008876/All-White-Barbarouses-looking-at-new-clubs/

Opens the door for a loan to the Victory for a season, then off to Panathinaikos when his deal runs out?

Kosta signs a 3 year contract with Victory.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbournevictory/news-display/Barbarouses-joins-Melbourne-Victory/72220

I wonder if we would have signed Cunningham if it was known there was a chance of bringing Kosta back to the A-League?

On paper I think Cunningham's probably the better player, although Kosta is a known quantity in the A-League.

The chance to work with Ange again probably a factor for Kosta also.

It still seems weird to say that at the moment Kosta would have been surplus to requirements at the Nix.

Wonder where he fits into the mix though with 

Thompson, Nichols, Finkler, Pain and Nabbout. They seem a bit stacked

Yes you could TV...

Pain has yet to convince me as well.  I reckon Archie (and if he finds his Roar form) Kosta.

Nichols is a midfielder and I suspect will play in the Celeski role while Finkler plays a completely different role as well. Don't recall seeing Pain, was he with them last season?

Id say it would be something like:

                Coe
Geria Ansell Leijer Traore
              Milligan
        Nichols  Finkler
Kosta      Archie        Pain

Sign the greek Rb and Spiranovic and they have a pretty good side imo

wait what! when the fuck did he sign for the tards! thats shit! but hes back with ange so he will be happy i spose....

I'm happy - means I have a kiwi to watch every game again!

Melb have a great attacking team, bit light at the back but their young defenders (Geria, Ansell, Galloway) are all really good.

I think Milligan will leave, though.

Really? What has he done wrong, exactly? Pain has ripped up every single time I've seen him play. Was even singled out as the best player in the Liverpool game (from either team)

Reminded me a lot of Marco.

I didn't say he had done anything wrong, just that I personally haven't seen what all the hype is about.  I will say I didn't watch the Liverpool game as I can't think of much worse than watching Victory vs Liverpool (and I had no freeview at the time).

Well, I've seen most games he's played and the hype is justified for mine. Time will tell ,of course - lots of young players have burst onto the scene and disappeared (Danning, Minniecon etc.) but he looks quality to me. Maybe not Europe-quality, but definitely top A-League player quality (like Leckie)

wow didn't see this coming I thought he would go back to Russia or if he was lucky a lower tier championship team

Russia was a bad choice

he has better options than the A-league .he is still young

In some ways I am a bit dissapointed  about this for Kosta. Would have thought it was better to stay o/s, keep trying there. Seems like a back step to me. He is up against some good players, so starting game time here isnt guaranteed.

Perhaps Ange has made promises..