The Revolving Door
“Thank You Coach”
In the realm of Cypriot football, the managerial carousel continues to spin relentlessly. This week, the ever-rotating door of club management welcomed two more departures as Makis Sergidis of Doxa and Christos Charalambous of AEL Limassol were relieved of their duties, accompanied by the customary "Thank You Coach" social media posts that have become standard fare in the industry.
The rate of coach turnover in Cyprus is so pervasive that one might suspect social media departments to maintain a template for their farewell messages. A shining example of this is Karmiotissa, an adept practitioner of content recycling, having witnessed ten head coaches come and go since February 2021.
Sergidis, whose tenure at Doxa barely surpassed four weeks, faced an arduous task with three consecutive defeats against formidable opponents: Pafos (0-4), Omonoia (1-3), and Apollon (0-4). Ironically, Sergidis marked the seventh coach to grace Doxa's bench since 2022. With the club languishing at the bottom of the first division, the prospect of replicating last season's miraculous survival efforts appears more miraculous than ever.
Charalambous, stepping into the pragmatic yet popular shoes of Janevski, served as caretaker coach for eleven games from April 2023 until his permanent appointment in July. Sadly, seven matches later, this former Karmiotissa head coach found himself bidding a reluctant farewell to the club, a club he initially joined as head of scouting at the dawn of the year.
While Charalambous distinguished himself by giving several academy graduates a chance in the latter part of the previous season, his rapport with senior players was not without its challenges. This became evident when, moments after the announcement of Charalambous's departure on the This Is Mappa Twitter account, a former AEL player signalled their approval with a simple "like" button click, creating an awkward digital moment.
Messrs. Sergidis and Charalambous now join the ranks as the fifth and sixth managerial casualties of the season, following the exits of Kostas Sakkas (Doxa), Florin Bratu (Karmiotissa), Marinos Satsias (Karmiotissa, once more), and Bogdan Andone (Apollon Limassol). Understanding the entrenched tradition and culture of Cypriot football, it is evident that this trend will not cease here, with Sa Pinto (APOEL), Luis Oltra (AEK), and Sofronis Avgousti (Omonoia) all treading on precarious ground for various reasons.
Portuguese man o' war
Did that seagull just look at me funny?
Sa Pinto's recent behaviour, both during and after the 1-1 draw against Anorthosis, has led to an unprecedented four-month ban, extending his tenure in the stands until January. Despite his employers vehemently denouncing this decision and pledging to appeal the verdict issued by the Head Disciplinary Prosecutor of the CFA, Aristotelis Vryonides, rumours regarding Sa Pinto's impending dismissal persist. Press reports suggest that a clause in Sa Pinto's contract shields APOEL from financial compensation in case of his dismissal on grounds of ill-discipline, accrual of fines, or damage to the club's reputation. The legal hurdles that APOEL's legal team faces are substantial, given the gravity of the incidents, including pushing the fourth official and assaulting the opposition's assistant coach, as detailed in Vryonides' report. Since APOEL's last championship victory in 2019, nine head coaches, including Mick McCarthy, have attempted in vain to capture the elusive 29th title. Sa Pinto now teeters on the brink of becoming the club's tenth managerial casualty.
Oltrasound
Luis Oltra's situation is notably more nuanced than Sa Pinto's. In the previous season, the Spaniard guided AEK Larnaca to the last 16 of the Conference League, falling to eventual champions West Ham. AEK was also a title contender until a discouraging 4-0 defeat to Aris Limassol with three games to go dashed their hopes. However, the current campaign has been a disappointment, marked by just two victories (against Doxa and newly promoted Othellos) and three draws, including a memorable 5-5 thriller against Ethnikos Achnas. This has left AEK languishing in seventh place. Adding to their woes, AEK's dream of Europa League participation ended in the qualifiers at the hands of Maccabi Tel Aviv. Despite these setbacks, the club extended Oltra's contract until 2025 in September. However, a mere day after this announcement, AEK suffered a shocking 3-1 defeat to newly promoted AEZ.
While Oltra stands as AEK's longest-serving head coach since Imanol Idiakez's initial tenure, President Karapatakis and Technical Director Xavi Roca have demonstrated a willingness to make swift changes when results falter. Roca's arrival from Panathinaikos in 2021 was followed by the departures of Sofronis Avgousti, Panayiotis Yiannou, David Catala, and David Badia within a year.
Xavi Roca on his way to work
A Cat-astrophe waiting to happen?
Sofronis Avgousti's arrival as Omonoia's head coach in February was met with the kind of fanfare one might expect when a victorious knight in shining armour returns from battle in a medieval epic. Known for his ability to extract the best from players and possessing an exceptional knowledge of the league, Sofronis seemed the ideal candidate to rejuvenate Omonoia's fortunes.
In 2021, Henning Berg achieved the Holy Grail by guiding Omonoia to their first title success since 2010. However, the club's failure to secure a top-six finish in the regular season led to his dismissal in February 2022. Although his successor, Neil Lennon, secured the cup in May, the club's first in a decade, and advanced to the Europa League group stages after defeating Gent in the qualifiers—earning them a double-header against Manchester United—a string of unfavourable results and allegations of ill-discipline prompted another managerial change.
The appointment of Belgian coach Yannick Ferrera was met with scepticism by fans and journalists alike, despite a promising start with two victories and a draw in his first three matches. Nonetheless, a resounding 4-0 defeat at the hands of APOEL invited further criticism. Seven victories in the following ten games failed to appease supporters who clamoured for change. In February, a 4-1 defeat to Anorthosis, coupled with fans verbally abusing club President Papastavrou, marked the end of Ferrera's tenure. Adding insult to injury, Ferrera received news of his sacking while on holiday in Athens after information was leaked to a sports website.
Sofronis, also known as "O Kattos" (The Cat), faced the daunting challenge of securing a top-six spot and winning the cup—an achievement he accomplished in dramatic fashion. Hector Yuste's last-minute winner against Karmiotissa solidified Omonoia's top-six standing, while Karim Ansarifard's late goal against AEL Limassol secured consecutive cup victories.
Following the cup final, President Papastavrou and Vice President Grigoris stepped into the spotlight alongside Alpha TV reporters. They reassured fans that they had learned from past mistakes and were committed to bringing about positive changes for the good of the club. In the weeks that followed, Jesper Jansson was appointed as Sporting Director, with a primary mission of implementing a comprehensive long-term strategy encompassing youth development, player recruitment, and financial stability. Simultaneously, all political disputes between Papastavou and members of the club's Association were resolved after a ten-day ego-driven standoff.
Jansson's appointment generated excitement among supporters but also cast shadows of doubt over Sofronis's future. Would the Swedish newcomer, whose knowledge of "Cypriotic football" is admittedly limited, provide Sofronis with the time and support needed to build upon the successes of the previous season? Initial signs pointed in that direction, with Omonoia eliminating Gabala from the Conference League qualifiers and delivering a resounding 4-0 victory over Salamina in their opening league match. However, optimism quickly gave way to concern. During Jansson's first appearance on Omonoia's TV show, "Total Green," he stated that the primary ambition was to reach the group stages of the Conference League. Just a week later, Omonoia suffered a 5-2 aggregate loss to Midtjylland, leading to their elimination from the competition. Matters took a further downturn as Omonoia squandered a 3-1 lead against Karmiotissa, settling for a frustrating 3-3 draw.
While Sofronis's team rallied with a 2-1 victory in the Nicosia derby, consecutive draws against AEL and Aris, a lacklustre 3-1 win against Doxa, and a disastrous 3-3 draw at home against AEZ have fuelled speculation that Sofronis finds himself in a precarious position, facing a metaphorical "Last Chance Saloon."
Jansson's subsequent appearance on the Cytavision show "Goal And Roll" was intended to offer supporters some reassurance about Sofronis's future. However, it had the opposite effect. The Swede distanced himself from the team's recent poor form, placing the blame squarely on the head coach's tactical decisions. Jansson then went further, stating that Omonoia must secure a top-three finish and challenge for the title. While the club currently resides in sixth place, just two points behind leaders Apollon, the pressure on Sofronis to deliver has intensified. With matches against Pafos and AEK on the horizon, murmurs abound that Sofronis faces a pivotal two-game stretch to salvage his Omonoia career.
Wait, what?
Here we go again…
In the previous season, the Cypriot first division witnessed a staggering 28 managerial changes, with only Aris, AEK and Paralimni showing unwavering faith in their managers. While Alexsey Shpilevsky's side celebrated their first title in 93 years and AEK reached the last 16 of the EUFA Conference League Marinos Satsias's team faced a controversial relegation, a tale for another time.
As previously mentioned, the current tally stands at six managerial casualties, and there is a distinct possibility that this number will rise when the January transfer window reopens. The factors driving these swift changes include impatience, trepidation, and the influence of well-connected agents and the "old boys club," which continue to exert a strong grip on Cypriot football. Regrettably, it seems inevitable that another managerial sacking is merely a matter of when, not if.
