Galery

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Illogical and too strong called the goal keeper Alexis Dzorvas the criticism of Greek media to the national team after its loss from South Korea. At a press conference day after the match with the Asian team Dzorvas said: “Overall, the criticism to the national team unfortunately is becoming illogical. I do not speak only for journalists. I am talking about ordinary people and older players .... In general, these situations have a very negative impact when created. Remember that success is already here. From now on , we have to pay attention to the sport event and enjoy it. I've said it many times, but I see that they don’t leave us alone. I will say it again though – that an environment and tension are created, which for me are a bit illogical. I'm not saying that people or we do not want to do well. This is the first thing we are trying to do ...” 

Lucas Vintra comments the failure of the first match. “I do not know what exactly caused our failure. The issue is that this game has already passed and now we are looking forward to the next one. We will try to give the best of ourselves. And what the result will be... will be seen  on the field. Surely, when you have a goal scored the game becomes more difficult. This is football, however: once you are scored a goal, once you score a goal ...you win or you lose. We must be looking forward to the next game. There is no sense looking back.”

Will, however, Greece be able to change its image until its next match against Nigeria? There are only 3 days left... Do not forget also that the first match is always essential. It itself sets the confidence and mental attitude of players to the next stages.

And the derisive and ironic titles with which the media comment the loss of the European champion in 2004 do not subside. Particularly fierce are the comments of the foreign media. They criticize the image of the team, huge holes in the defence, slow play and “safe” attack.

”The victory of South Korea over Greece brought shadows of 2002,” is the title, with which The New York Times covered the loss of the Greeks. “South Korea started its participation in the World Cup as if it wanted to repeat its unforgettable performance in 2002. Lee Jung-soo and Park Ji-sung scored goals and South Korea won 2-0 against lifeless Greece in the first match of Group C on Saturday.” The newspaper quoted the coach of the Asians, who claimed that if the team was slightly calmer Korea could achieve even better results.

Guardian.co.uk  ruthlessly made a lot of malice comments on the Greek nationals. Guardian “picked” the Greeks from their first participation in the World Cup. “After 60 years of trying” they finally managed to qualify for the championship in 1994... The ironic comments began in the second minute of the match. Then Greece “was doing better than in 1994 because the result was still only 0-0 ...” – says the article. In connection with the game of Katsuranis in the sixth minute we read: “It is certainly better than 1994, but not much really. Oh, Greece!” Then:  “Those clowns in blue made Greece in 1994 look like Internazionale in 1964.” Minutes after this the national team was described as “bankrupt in terms of ideas.” The article also says that nearly 70% of the time the nationals have played in their half ... “And you were thinking that France would be the worst team in the World Cup ...” The culmination was when the journalist added the video The Four Hoursemen of Aphrodite’s to the article in the break after the first half.  The comment over the video is as follows: “Several progressive Greeks because it is unlikely to see the like on the field today.” Under the video we read: “Are you willing for a Demis Roussos?”

The comments of BBC are succinctly presented compared to those of the Guardian. “The 2004 champions rarely threatened the well-organized and extremely athletic game of South Korea, which made an impression with the goals scored by Lee Jung-soo and Park Ji-sung.” The British Skysports says: “Koreans are more skilful than the Greeks.”

Reluctant, but with a hidden ironic touch the German Bild comments on the team. “South Korea won three easy points with a 2:0 victory over uninspired Greece... Now the Greeks should pull themselves together to advance in Group C.”  

The same are the titles in the Bulgarian media. “Greece without victory and a goal 360 minutes long” is the title of the article of the 24 Hours Newspaper. “... Our southern neighbors have not only victory or equal result in the World Cup, but never scored a goal. This is their second participation – in South Africa. In 1994 in the USA they lost respectively 0:4 from Argentina, 0:4 from Bulgaria and 0:2 from Nigeria. No wonder if similar results repeat because the other two opponents in the group are known – Argentina and Nigeria.
The self-confidence of the Greeks reached heaven after their European title in 2004 in Portugal. But after that the players of the German coach Otto Rehhagel failed to qualify for the World Championship in Germany and for the European Championships in Switzerland and Austria .... Tradition was also against the Greeks. They have neither a victory over rival outside Europe – even in friendly match under the leadership of Otto Rehhagel.”