The last few weeks have once again demonstrated the corruption inherent in Greek football. Lets start from the beginning, in the first cup match between PAOK and Olympiakos at Karaiskaki, the referee turned a blind eye to the coin that hit the linesman on the head, imploring him to get up and pretend the incident never happened, a blind eye to wild challenges from Olympiakos players that included stomping on their opponents, but saw fit to expel PAOK coach, Makis Havos from the bench for no apparent reason. At the end of the game PAOK players were attacked by supporters as they attempted to enter the tunnel to the dressing rooms.
Despite all these provocations and the banning of home support for the return leg in Thessaloniki, PAOK managed to secure a one nil victory to progress to the semi finals of the cup competition.
The wash up from the first match was that Havos has been banned from coaching for two months and PAOK received a 10,000 euro fine.
PAOK then resumed it's European obligations against CSKA in the first leg of their round 16 Europa Cup clash in Toumba. After a promising first 20 minutes the team went into their shell, conceded a soft goal to a defensive lapse, and never threatened again until the last 15 minutes, against a superior opponent who claimed a result without having to push themselves too much. The return leg this week gives PAOK an opportunity to let loose, with nothing to lose, in light of it's European performances this season it would be fitting if the team went out with dignity if they are unable to reverse the result, that's all we can ask.
Which brings us to the much hyped derby this past weekend between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, the referee blatantly determined the result of the match in favour of Olympiakos, causing outrage in the media and amongst Panathinaikos supporters. You see, in this league only two teams exists, the rest are there for their amusement. What occurred this weekend, occurs every other weekend against which ever team plays against these two, however if anyone dares state the obvious it's swept under the carpet with the victim labeled a whinger with a complex.
It's amazing that there are still people interested in following this league.

PAOK suffered it's first defeat of the super league season, going down 1-0 to Xanthi. It was another sub standard performance by the team following a string of similar performances since the match with Fenerbache. The team played without imagination and spirit , many players seem to lack physical conditioning. There was no system to their game, rather relying on individual endeavours from the flanks to try and break their opponents. Once again players made uncharacteristic errors, the defence looked frail and the midfield was non existent, with too many mistakes gifting the ball to their opponents.

After another flat , dispassionate and disjointed performance, the time has come to examine and try to rectify these problems before the teams objectives for the current season quickly disappear. To an outsider it appears something is amiss, as the team's performance in the last few games bears no resemblance to the team we witnessed against Ajax and Fenerbache.

President, committee, coach and players need to get to the bottom of the problem quickly and get the team performing to the standard it is capable off. At the moment the team looks lack lustre and disinterested. It's time for everyone to accept their responsibilities and act according to the best interests of the club, the performances we have witnessed in the last month, including the atrocious performance against Club Brugge, which some tried to portray as a success have been unwatchable, players unwilling to chase and incapable of passing to an unmarked teamate 10 metres away is unacceptable. We don't expect the team to win each match, however we expect the team to play to it's capabilities, that is in the control of the coach and players, and from here on in, we expect less statements and interviews in the press from the players and more talk on the pitch.