AEK: The end of the "miracle group"

Five races, zero points, only two active goals and eight goals – but not in a row. Negative balance sheet of a Greek club in the test. The worst performance among the 32 teams in the group this year. Otherwise, they had dreamed, the AEK, the journey to the stars of the Champions League. It ends without a beautiful memory.

Otherwise, they had dreamed of the whole season. After 22 days of racing, AEK is 12 points from the top of the Super League, a distance impossible to cover by the miraculous team of last year. Now, the champion is forced to travel the remaining 2/3 of the road with only one motivation: the Greek Cup.

If he had the opportunity, the AEK would get a positive result from Ayakas's "terrible babies" and keep alive his (promising) hopes of qualifying for the Europa League. She was lost last Sunday when … Hurricane Melissanidis hit Coach Spata. Anyone who thinks that the "theft" of three important footballers (Simos, Bakbadetta, Lambropoulos) would leave their teammates intact, concentrated in the big match that was coming, probably does not know that … the ball is round.

The OAKA match started with the worst performances. With AEK immersed in introversion, uncertainty and depression. With fans to be "squatting" with the Dutch – which, of course, will cost him a punishment for his place. And with its audience "frozen" by developments, it's far, there were no more than 15,000 spectators on the stands. It continued and was even worse. With a controversial penalty shot by the English referee Olyver for 1-0 of Ayiax in the 68 "(which led to the elimination of Livia), and with a second goal" cheap, "we do not get used to seeing league champions, but in a friendly summer preparation match. There was a beating – a Dutch warning at 63 #.

Bayern Munich, Ayak and Benfica are not part of the box clubs Greek – Benick has a bitter experience of PAOK. AEK did not have to move to Europe after December. But no one expected a chaotic ability difference on the pitch (with the exception of the Portuguese game). The old AEK had examined the respective sizes (Milan, Real Madrid) in the eyes. Last year, AEK would receive at least two draws. But, as in the championship, AEK from last year is sought after. He disappeared mysteriously. What happened to him?

Dimitris Melissanidis made it clear: he thinks some players are indifferent because they are asking for pay increases that AEK refuses to grant them. That's why they have "finished" with the team, with summary procedures. He hurt them. In particular, these three have never given any rights. They also played some good games this time (especially the Bakbadetta), ran more than their teammates (Simos) and, in the devastating November games, they were not the worst. Below, below, a player whose contract expires and wishes to change teams has a personal interest in distinguishing as much as possible. Lazaros Christodoulopoulos had agreed to go to Olympiakos since the spring. Yet at the last minute of last season, he was AEK's best player.

The coach is compiled with his employer. Curious In AEK – Atromitos, not only did he place the three black (yellow) sheep in the eleven, but he also left them until the end of the match. Basic is playing all three and last Saturday at Agrinio. What does Marinos Ouzounidis tell us? How did the team score 12 points behind PAOK and 10 Atromitos to make sure some of their footballers do not play cheerfully? Or that in the last match (at Agrinio), in which the 12 of the 14 used were late, did he discover that the three had no motivation?

Some seek the cause of evil in another category of "indifferent" players: those who have renewed their contracts with increased remuneration. Like Livia and Mandalos, who "tied up the bad and have no reason to get killed on the ground". Some others, borrowers. Like Ponce and Boehner. "Why sweat for the size of AEK, since summer may not be here?" All these explanations have a common denominator: the reluctance of professional footballers to play ball as they can, to be competitive, to win. There are some, but in every club in the world, the exception is the rule. What is the rule? That teams hit the road when their cycle is closed. And the circle closes when their composition is changed. When their "chemistry" is destroyed.

AEK has gradually created a "group" of players who have established common bonds and who have a common goal: build (or save) their career. With the sole exception of Tsigrinski, none of them felt that he had already been successful enough. In three years, they won a championship – the first after 24 years – and a cup, contested in two other finals, reached the "32 & # 39; of the Europa League, has qualified for the Champions League and has qualified for the group. They have been called to their national teams. They forged a chain of struggles, unprecedented at the European level, for a club that came back from the third and second clbades. But last summer, the sweater began to crack.

Some are gone. Several and decisive: Lazarus, Arachos, Vranius, Johansson, Cone. Together, and the man who inspired them (Manolo Jimenez). Some of those who came in their place did not "stick" to others. Some who stay do not "fill the eye" of their new coach (Gallo) or can not cooperate as well with the new ones (eg, Livia with Ponce). The expulsion of Simos, Bakasetta and Lambropoulos was the last act of deconstruction. The "miracle company" has been dissolved.

And, yes, there was also saturation. It is no coincidence that AEK started to "make water" as soon as it was successful and the last one "impossible": its participation in a group of the League champions. Whatever the case may be, his footballers have played "in the red" for a whole season. The team could not hope for overtaking. In the summer, he needed serious support. But it was a strategic choice for the administration to spend as little as possible.

The "Tiger" has the reputation of a man who has trouble getting a sucker. Some of those who left could stay. But when they asked for sums much higher than those that the AEK had deemed fair, Melissanidis became convinced. With the same money, he finds better. Indeed. But the best are not always good enough. Moran came with Primer Division performances, but the bench was eaten. Simoes, from a village in Portugal – and he played constantly. Ponce and Boege have nothing to envy to the Araachos. But their aspirations have never exceeded those of the AEK.

Unfortunately for AEK, his players are neither indifferent nor lazy. They want, but they can not. She also appeared yesterday in her last European home match. The wonderful trip (it seems) ended in Agrinio, where it started on January 18, 2017, after the defeat of the Union by 3-2. The cause was to recruit Manolo Jimenez (Moray post). This almost two-year cycle has been closed and we must now build the foundations of our neighbor.

The Uzunidis architect? Difficult. Melissanides, one of the few Greek players to know the ball, knows that the coach who throws all the blame on his players and denounces them publicly can not stay in the locker room. And it lacks the "qualitative" players of a group. A Jimenez must therefore inspire them.