Greece find emancipation after Hellenic nightmare

• Greece set for Russia 2018 play-off after scattered 3 years
• Coach Michael Skibbe pivotal in realigning organisation with prior successful approaches
• Meeting with Croatia outlines possibility to entirely exorcise demons of UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying

“We do not wish an additional bonus, or money. We usually play for Greece and a people.”

This was a heartening footnote to Greece climbing their tip rise for a decade. While pain was a usually prevalent tension in Recife, as a shoot-out better cut brief their initial outing to a knockout stages during 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, a team’s joined summary to a Greek primary apportion beamed pride. A South American tour to eventually cherish.

With Costa Rica removing to step out in Salvador in a ancestral quarter-final, Greece are now forgetful of tasting another rollercoaster float in Russia subsequent year, as they ready to close horns with Croatia for one of Europe’s 4 remaining tickets to a finals. However, to even be here, after a 3 years that followed, is something of an feat itself.

After Brazil 2014, manager Fernando Santos over for moneyed pastures with his local Portugal, along with a likes of midfield whitchcraft and captain Giorgos Karagounis – aged 37 – finale 15 years in a side. New trainer Claudio Ranieri arrived to open this new chapter.

Following on from Otto Rehhagel and Santos, Ranieri diverted from his predecessors’ some-more solid, indifferent character – yet his proceed would of march move implausible success in is subsequent purpose during Leicester City – commencement what descended into a inauspicious revolution.

A incongruous organisation bereft of congruity and quarrel – a pivotal marble pillars holding adult their volatile acropolis – crumbled. A soulless better to Faroe Islands in Piraeus, his third detriment in four, was an misdeed too far.

As successors Kostas Tsanas and Sergio Markarian unsuccessful to detain a slide, they were a initial tip seeds ever in European Championship or World Cup gift to finish bottom of their organisation – scoring their initial home idea in a campaign’s final game.

After Santos, before Skibbe

• Claudio Ranieri: Romania (loss), Finland (draw), Northern Ireland (L), Faroe Islands (L)
• Kostas Tsanas (caretaker): Serbia (L)
• Sergio Markarian: Hungary (D), Faroe Islands (L), Poland (D)
• Tsanas: Finland (L), Romania (D), Northern Ireland (L), Hungary (win)

Enter Michael Skibbe. Owing Rehhagel’s bequest to a reason a Greek FA incited to another German, revelation to FIFA.com that it “was positively a reason, if not a categorical reason”, a exile sight took time to slow. Defeat by Luxembourg showed a plea he faced.

“I trust in good fortify and clever tactical recognition on a pitch,” Skibbe had said. “That was a substructure for Greece’s strongest years in a 2000s and their EURO win, and that’s what we wish to lapse to.” With 3 wins from 4 Russia 2018 qualifiers, usually an 89th notation from Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku prevented them withdrawal with all 3 points – display Skibbe had achieved that idea impressively in small over a year.

Six of a side that started in Brussels also featured in a irregularity opposite a Faroes – with initial choice screw Oscar Karnezis out injured, too – display evolution, rather than revolution, was accurately what they had needed.

Now, they arguably face their toughest exam given that diversion with their play-off double-header with Croatia. Skibbe expects their defensive repute – built now on a foundations of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Kostas Manolas – to be key, utterly with Zagreb their initial destination.

“It is maybe good to have a second compare during home. You can have some-more defensive strategy if you’re personification divided and afterwards we can demeanour during what’s going on in a second match,” he told FIFA.com after a play-off draw.

“Playing descent football they are utterly good, though many of a time we are good during defending, so we will see what happens on a pitch.”

Had we offering Greece fans this unfolding dual years ago, we would have been tough pulpy to find one who wouldn’t have taken it.

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2017/m=11/news=greece-seek-redemption-after-hellenic-nightmare-2918573.html