The Best of GRReporter
flag_bg flag_gr flag_gb

Mr. Marfin left Panathinaikos embittered followed by Pateras

22 December 2010 / 13:12:45  GRReporter
5601 reads

"I will not increase my share capital in Panathinaikos nor do I intend to play any role in the team and the Greek football as a whole." This is how Andreas Vgenopoulos explained his explicit decision to resign again from the Board of the team of clovers. Mr. Marfin made this dramatic move after the infamous loss of the greens with 0-1 from the not very popular until recently team of Olympiakos-Volos.

Vgenopoulos said he would not explain his actions. "I’ve won this after my investment of 20 million euros in the team two years ago and another 1.8 million euros two months ago, and after tons of dirt and wickedness the greens on different levels aimed at me," said the banker with unconcealed bitterness. He made it clear that the idea of unity, brotherhood and love for sport are only a chimera and unrealistic.

Panathinaikos president Nicolas Paters also resigned. He told journalists that the success of the team in the past two years was largely due to the support the Board has received from fans during this period. "After Mr. Vgenopoulos leave I have no reason to stay in the team management. I was asked to stay, but as you know, this is the second time I returned to the team. I’ve done a lot for Panathinaikos but have nothing to give now since there is no unity," said the longtime president of the Greek clovers.

The new president of Panathinaikos is expected to be named on Thursday, December 23. Nicolas Pateras proposed Thanasis Yanakopoulos – the current president of the fans team, supporters of the greens – to take the lead but he, however, explicitly refused. Yanakopoulos not only did not accept the proposal of the retired president proudly, but sharply criticized his decision. "It is not possible to resign for every little problem," he said severely, particularly targeting the decisions of Vgenopoulos and Pateras. He explained that all who love the team must be united like a fist and the fact that Olympiakos has the lead with five points this season does not matter.

However, Thanassis Yanakopoulos, who together with his brother has been active in the sport life of Panathinaikos since the mid 1980s, said he could not deal with the presidency of professional footballers. "In times of crisis I can not leave a company with 1200 employees to spend time elsewhere," said Yanakopoulos, who runs a large family pharmaceutical company in Greece.

Tags: SportSoccerPanathinaikosMarfinNicolas PaterasAndreas Vgenopoulos
SUPPORT US!
GRReporter’s content is brought to you for free 7 days a week by a team of highly professional journalists, translators, photographers, operators, software developers, designers. If you like and follow our work, consider whether you could support us financially with an amount at your choice.
Subscription
You can support us only once as well.
blog comments powered by Disqus