For anyone looking for updates on the whole mess we’re in right now, go ahead and check the comments section of the post below this one… I couldn’t add anything else to what has already been said.
Just a matter of waiting now and seeing what the next few days bring.
Unfortunately, due to the usual excuse of school work with the term approaching its end, I haven’t had too much time to actually write much worthwhile here on the blog. I think gtmanleg’s comment on a previous post sums up pretty well our game over the weekend:
“Good win today that should stave off any chance at relegation. Let’s get a few more.
The disturbing thing is that gesture made after the 84 minute goal. I really hope that was a mindless error.”
Definitely great that we got all three points, and it looks like we should be pretty safe from here on. I won’t lie, but that’s a pretty big relief, there were some moments earlier in the season where it seemed like relegation was a definite possibility.
Something happened at the game which was everywhere on the internet. Really. And that something is the gesture Katidis made after scoring his game winning goal, a gesture which looks pretty much identical to the Nazi salute. I honestly don’t know what to think. Was he really making the salute? Or, has he claims, did he not know what it meant?
If he was actually making it intentionally (which I believe very well could be the case, considering the rise of neo-nazi ideologies in Greece these past couple years, and the media Xrisi Avgi have been receiving), what was he thinking? Does he actually support neo-nazi views? He stated afterwards that he in no way does, and that he understands the history of AEK and the refugees who formed our club and identity, and the discrimination they faced simply because they were refugees.
It is possible that he actually did not know what the gesture meant. I find it hard to believe he could not know what it meant, but perhaps my experiences simply don’t compare to his. As someone who is actually taking a human rights course at the University level at the moment, a course in which the Holocaust is discussed in quite detail, I cannot imagine making that gesture and not associating it with its disgusting past. But perhaps he, simply as a 20 year old football player with little to no political experience at all, really just did not know?
Bottom line is, none of us can know. We really can’t. I will however say that I have not been too impressed with his attitude in general since he joined the club, and I honestly have not been too impressed with his playing either, though perhaps that is something which would’ve changed over time. Now we may never know, as his future with AEK is still not certain.
Part of me does feel kind of bad for the kid (just kind of), if it was in fact an honest though terrible mistake. We’ll have to see over time though, perhaps this whole experience will turn out to have its advantages.
Not a great result, but definitely one we can settle for.
We started off excellently, controlling the game completely, and within the first ten minutes we had two excellent chances to score (one hit the crossbar), but the rain was really coming down and less than twenty minutes into the match the pitch was flooded. Not sure if the pitch just couldn’t take it, or if the rain really was that bad, but I remember some days when I used to go to the stadium (one game against Larissa comes to mind) when the pitch would flood to the point where the ball just wouldn’t roll. Seemed like that was the case on saturday. It was quite unfortunate really since, as I mentioned, we started off quite well and had the conditions been better, I think we could have kept it up.
It was nice to see 20,000 supporters in the stands, despite the rain.
Overall it was a pretty good weekend for us aside from our game as well. Aris beat PAO today, which means we are now even with PAO in the standings (26 points), and its still only 5 points which separate us from a play off spot, something which is quite possible.
Highlights from our game available at the bottom of this link
Believe it or not, we’ve had four wins from our last five games. And we’re only one point behind PAO. And only five behind a playoff spot.
There would’ve been a time when seeing all of this happen would not be a surprise for AEK… if anything, it would be expected. But we all know times are rough, so well done to the team and management for turning things around like this.
I didn’t manage to watch to the Kerkyra game, but I did see our 1-0 win against Panionios two weeks ago, and the quality of the football we were playing was night and day compared to what I saw before the holidays. We managed to control the game, control the tempo, pass with what seemed like little effort, and we created chances.
Considering the situation we’re in, I can definitely say we’re heading in the right direction. Just a few more wins and a playoff spot could very well be ours. How great would it be if we get in the playoffs and not PAO?
We play PAOK this weekend. Not gonna be an easy game, just because these derbies rarely are. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we get the three points. I’m hoping for a decent crowd, and I’m sure regardless of how many supporters are there, the atmosphere will be great.
FORZA AEK!
Petrogol!!
Third game, third goal for him. Looks like hes turning out to be the best signing we’ve made in ages.
As usual, didn’t get to watch the game. Sounds like we were all over Ofi for most of the game, and from what I saw of the highlights, we missed many chances. Ofi, on the other hand, had one real chance all game and managed to score.
We were down 1-0 at half time, and when I heard that, I figured it was game over for us. I just didn’t think the team had it in them to come back from being a goal down to win it, but they did. One goal from Petrogol, and one from Pavlis (a lucky one, but a goal none the less), and a VERY valuable three points. We’re now firmly out of the relegation zone and if things keep going the way they are, we’ll be well away from it by the end of the season.
Things are looking better!
Could’ve been worse! We managed to grab a point after Petrogol scored the equalizer late in extra time (there were about six minutes extra time I believe, a fair time considering there were four red cards given) and now, believe it or not, we’re actually third from last! Still not out of the relegation zone, but we’re slooooooooowly making our way up. All thanks to Petropoulos! (He really is starting to look like the next Libe)
I heard there were some pretty poor calls made by Kakos (surprising? Not at all if you ask me)… I’m really disappointed to see this guy still officiating high level games…
Unfortunately, the new year didn’t start off too well, with a 3-1 loss to Tripolis. But thankfully, we managed to grab three points over the weekend thanks to a 1-0 win over Xanthi. The scorer? Petropoulos
Didn’t get to watch the game, sounded like we played quite alright for the most part though, Petropoulos and Mitropoulos specifically receiving quite a bit of praise.
AEK Athens FC and Other Greek Team News
