Daily Archives: June 17, 2015

The national soccer team should be rather happy for avoiding defeat in Tuesday’s friendly against host Poland, just three days after its disgraceful 2-1 loss at the Faroe Islands.

The 0-0 result at Gdansk reflects the interest and passion that the two teams showed in this end-of-season friendly, although Greece was definitely a more convincing team than the one that conceded two goals to the Faroe.

Another reason Greece will be happy with the result in that it has preserved its FIFA ranking that had been quite battered by its Euro 2016 qualifiers results, as it will now place Greece in the third and not the fourth pot of next month’s draw for the European zone of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Coach Sergio Markarian made eight changes to the starting line-up and the national team appeared less stressed than in its competitive games.

The Uruguayan manager will be happy with the defensive performance of his players, and especially of reserve goalkeeper Stefanos Kapino. Even he was lucky enough those to see the Polish struck the crossbar on the 40th minute.

This was also the farewell match with the national team for Costas Katsouranis, after 116 caps.

source:ekathimerini.com

Former striker Andrew Cole has welcomed the club’s links with the Real Madrid duo and has urged Louis van Gaal to play a more attacking style

Andrew Cole has welcomed talk of Manchester United potentially signing Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, insisting that the Real Madrid duo would bring an “X-Factor” to the Premier League club.

Goal understands that Arsenal believe Benzema would be interested in a move to north London, should Madrid decide to sell, while United have also been reported as a potential destination for the Madrid striker.

Former Tottenham winger Bale, meanwhile, has been on United’s radar and Cole has suggested that he would love to see the duo at Old Trafford next season.

He told Goal: “I like him [Benzema], he’s a very good player and played at the highest level for a numerous amount of years.
“He’s done it at international level and you look at that and say that could definitely work with him and Rooney.

“What do the fans want? That’s what the fans want. If Man United have got €150-200 million to spend and there’s talk of Bale, then that’s what the fans want to see, that’s the X-Factor, for people to say ‘wow’.

“Manchester United has always been that kind of club, always wanting big name players to come here and fans to get buoyant about.”

Cole also called on Louis van Gaal to give United supporters what they want and play an attacking brand of football next season after criticisms that the Red Devils were too concerned with playing possession football.

He added: “It’s different to what the fans have been used to. When you watch Manchester United you expect them to play a certain way with a high-tempo and score loads of goals.

“It’s been different this season. The way we set up is like international football, where they keep possession of the football and don’t really hurt teams.

“In the Premier League, it’s not really played like that. You look at Chelsea – they started the season off as the best team by far and closed it out with Jose Mourinho being Jose Mourinho. They are the benchmark.

“If you’re going by what he did with the national team then that’s the way they played. When you don’t have pace in the team you have to play a certain way, and we don’t have any pace in the team.

“Will he change? I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see if his philosophy changes. The way they played this season, it’s not typical Man United.”

source:goal.com