Vangelis Mitsis

The decision to sack Patagonis “Takis” Lemonis is one that has come as a great shock to Olympiacos supporters around the world. On the face of it the announcement makes no sense at all. Lemonis leaves the club 2^nd in the Greek Super League table, just 1 point behind rivals Panathinaikos and with one foot in the semi final of a Greek Cup competition (holding a 2-0 lead over Iraklis from the first leg) already without AEK Athens and Panathinaikos.

It’s also important not to forget just what Takis Lemonis achieved in the European arena this season, an arena that Olympiacos has struggled to gain any sort of mastery over for years. A Champions League campaign that brought the club its first away win for 31 European games (at Werder Bremen) combined with an impressive win away in Rome against Lazio and ultimately 2^nd place in the group behind Real Madrid. The Red and White faithful were living in dreamland as Olympiacos actually took the lead in Spain, with just 10 men. The fact that they could not hold on was something of an irrelevance (eventually losing 4-2) as they had gained the respect of one of the most knowledgeable crowds in football, at the Bernabeu.

In all likelihood Olympiacos were never going to put out English powerhouse Chelsea when they were drawn together in the last 16 of the competition. But in Greece, Chelsea found they couldn’t steamroller Thyrlos (Olympiacos have the nickname Thyrlos which means “the legend”) in their own backyard. In a 0-0 draw the Greeks rarely looked in trouble. That the 2^nd leg ended 3-0 to the Londoners should not be placed as a negative in Lemonis account, as in truth it is hard to see what coach could have triumphed at Stamford Bridge with this Olympiacos squad.

At the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium Takis Lemonis once again made Olympiacos a force to be reckoned with. Under the guidance of Norwegian coach Trond Sollied, Olympiacos’s reputation as a tough place to go was left in tatters. The Greek side had always relied on their home form, as their away swung between below average and dreadful, as a 2003/04 season thumping 7-0 away to Juventus can testify.

Under Sollied the perennial Greek champions collected just 1 home win in two Champions League campaigns. The defeat in Athens against Norwegian side Rosenborg (1-3) in Sollied’s first European game in charge set the tone for the rest of his reign.

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Lemonis by contrast had begun planning his tactics for the Champions League as soon as he was appointed (January 2007). Takis Lemonis is a proud Olympiacos former player, coach, fan and then coach again and he was genuinely hurt by the erosion of Thyrlos home European record. He determined earlier on that they would not be easy prey again.

Here lay the source of some fans discontent with Lemonis. His insistence on playing a 4-5-1 formation, in what some would claim is a counter-attacking style. These tactics were the subject of criticism in the Greek press from almost day one, especially in the Champions League. A 1-1 home draw with Lazio left many supporters believing that their European campaign was over almost as soon as it had begun. To those outside Greece this may sound a strange thing to say, but consider Olympiacos terrible away form, then also consider a group containing in addition to Lazio, Werder Bremen and Real Madrid. With Lazio considered the weakest team Thyrlos would face, it was felt victory at home was essential.

This view though, fundamentally failed to understand Lemonis tactics or how he would approach the Champions League. He would never set out to dictate play, or play an expansive game against sides he knew to have greater quality throughout their team than his own. Thus, a counter-attacking style of play and a 4-5-1 formation easily able to become 4-3-3 in a forward thrust, was not just the way to go, it made perfect sense. Hard to beat at home and deadly away was, in his view, a recipe to realise Olympiacos potential.

Lemonis approach was well born out by that place in the last 16, only the second time in eleven Champions League campaigns that Olympiacos had managed to negotiate the group stages.

What contributed to the end of Lemonis however, was taking these tactics into the Greek Super League. Many Thyrlos supporters and, if you believe the rumours, the club’s President Mr Socrates Kokkalis, were disillusioned with Lemonis style and believed, rightly or wrongly, that the club should seek to destroy Super League opponents 3 and 4 nil. Instead Lemonis was delivering slender 1-0 wins, and recently, two 1-1 draws. His last game in charge was the 1-0 victory away to third bottom side Veroia.

Perhaps in this way there are comparisons to be drawn with their last 16 opponents Chelsea. At Stamford Bridge Jose Mourniho was a winner, but it was constantly reported that he was not winning with enough style and by great enough margins for owner Roman Abramovich. Mourinho was master of the 1-0 win. He too had most success employing a 4-5-1 come 4-3-3 formation.

All this is not to say that Takis Lemonis had built a side incapable of destroying opponents (witness the 4-0 demolition of hated rivals Panathinaikos in the Greek Cup) because he had, but his first priority was victory and he did not like to put this at risk.

Where this leaves Olympiacos is anybody’s guess. Dispensing with a coach who has the team just 1 point off the top and, barring an unlikely miracle from Iraklis, in the semi final of the cup is a strange move indeed. Lemonis was perfectly capable of winning ‘the double’ this season, and to do this in Panathinaikos centenary year who would care what style was used?

The simple fact is that President Kokkalis has once again shown himself unable or unwilling to understand the benefits of stability. Even Roman Abramovich didn’t sack Mourinho when Chelsea were winning titles and performing in Europe. Who is to say that Lemonis would not have adjusted his style to a more attacking one given new summer arrivals?

It also seems that what billionaire owners are unable to understand is that in football the 1-0 win can be equally as impressive as the 3-0. There is something machine-like about the ability of teams to stop their opponents playing and close out a game when they nick a lead. Just ask Liverpool fans from the late 1970s and 80s.

The chance to build a lasting dynasty at Thyrlos has again been thwarted. This is nothing new, Olympiacos have only had one coach last more than two full seasons in 30 years.

Olympiacos fans had better prepare to start again, rip up this season’s good Champions League work and hand the league to Panathinaikos on a plate. All because uncle Kokkalis threw his toys out of the pram.

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