AO Kavalas
Encyclopedia
AO Kavala the Athletic Club Kavala, is a professional association football club based in the city of Kavala
, Greece
.
club was formed in 1965 from the merger of Phillipoi Kavala, Iraklis Kavala and A.E. Kavala.
They have had a few runs in the top division of the Greek League. They were promoted to Alpha Ethniki for the first time in 1969 and stayed up for 6 years (1970
– 1975
). They returned to top division in 1976 and played again for six seasons.
In 1982 the club were relegated to the Beta Ethniki
(second tier of Greek football). After 11 years in Beta Ethniki
and one year in Gamma Ethniki
(third tier – 1988–89) they were promoted to Alpha Ethniki. There "black" period began for the team in which they played only in Beta Ethniki
and Gamma Ethniki
.
and EURO 2004 winner Fanis Katergiannakis
. Kavala were promoted for the first time in 9 years to Greeces top division. In their quest to remain in the top flight they have signed José Reina's back up at Liverpool, Charles Itandje
and recently acquired Brazilian Denílson
(January 2010 transfer window) a 2002 World Cup Winner. Additional season signings include Craig Moore
, Željko Kalac
, Ebi Smolarek, Diogo Rincón
, Sotiris Leontiou
, Serge Dié
, Wilson Oruma
and Frédéric Mendy
, . This combined with coach Aad de Mos meant that Kavala set the league alight. They subsequently achieved notable victories in the 2009–2010 season against Iraklis FC, Panionios, AEK FC and Panathinaikos FC
.
) was added to the roster. The team's owner sought the new manager throughout Europe and settled on the Serbian coach Dragomir Okuka who lasted until November, when he was replaced by Henryk Kasperczak
. In Kasperczak's debut as a coach, Kavala beat AEK, 2–1, in what was considered a very good appearance.
But in March 2011, Kasperczak, retired as the coach of this team, and he was replaced by Ioannis Matzourakis
, who was the coach in Kavala FC team in the seasons 1985-1986. Kavala finished 7th and later faced the threat of relegation to Football League (Greece) due to the match-fixing scandal
. After an appeal, the team managed to avoid relegation by starting the new league with 8 points less. On 23 August, however, the Professional Sports Committee stripped both Kavala and Olympiakos Volou from their professional licence and demoted them to the Delta Ethniki.
For latest transfers see List of Greek football transfers summer 2011
. Foreign players with an EU passport are registered as EU-Nationals
Bartholomew Ogbeche Pierre Ducrocq
López Vallejo
Horacio Cardozo
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Željko Kalac
Craig Moore
Alfred Hörtnagl
Ivan Mitev Jean-Claude Darcheville
Agapitos Ambelas Nikos Argyriou Anestis Athanasiadis
||
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|}
(2008–09) Vasilis Daniil Michalis Bellis Grzegorz Lato
Kostas Iosifidis Nikos Goulis Stratos Voutsakelis
Sources:
Kavala
Kavala , is the second largest city in northern Greece, the principal seaport of eastern Macedonia and the capital of Kavala peripheral unit. It is situated on the Bay of Kavala, across from the island of Thasos...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
History
The MacedonianMacedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
club was formed in 1965 from the merger of Phillipoi Kavala, Iraklis Kavala and A.E. Kavala.
They have had a few runs in the top division of the Greek League. They were promoted to Alpha Ethniki for the first time in 1969 and stayed up for 6 years (1970
Alpha Ethniki 1969-70
-Standings:Pts = Points Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;*Notes-Match table:Match changes:-References:* *...
– 1975
Alpha Ethniki 1974-75
-Standings:Pts = Points Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;-Match table:-References:* * * *...
). They returned to top division in 1976 and played again for six seasons.
In 1982 the club were relegated to the Beta Ethniki
Beta Ethniki
Football League, former Beta Ethniki, is the second highest professional football league in Greece.-History:In its first years, the system of conduct was very intriguing. It began in 1954 as regional championship, separated in two groups, North and South. Then, the participating teams were the...
(second tier of Greek football). After 11 years in Beta Ethniki
Beta Ethniki
Football League, former Beta Ethniki, is the second highest professional football league in Greece.-History:In its first years, the system of conduct was very intriguing. It began in 1954 as regional championship, separated in two groups, North and South. Then, the participating teams were the...
and one year in Gamma Ethniki
Gamma Ethniki
Football League 2, formerly known as Gamma Ethniki, is the third highest professional football league in Greece.-History:It began in 1965 as an amateur championship, while in 1983 it was changed to professional...
(third tier – 1988–89) they were promoted to Alpha Ethniki. There "black" period began for the team in which they played only in Beta Ethniki
Beta Ethniki
Football League, former Beta Ethniki, is the second highest professional football league in Greece.-History:In its first years, the system of conduct was very intriguing. It began in 1954 as regional championship, separated in two groups, North and South. Then, the participating teams were the...
and Gamma Ethniki
Gamma Ethniki
Football League 2, formerly known as Gamma Ethniki, is the third highest professional football league in Greece.-History:It began in 1965 as an amateur championship, while in 1983 it was changed to professional...
.
2009–2010 Season
In 2009 they signed Miltiadis SapanisMiltiadis Sapanis
Miltiadis Sapanis is a Greek football player, who now plays for Agrotikos Asteras.-Club career:Sapanis previously played for Paniliakos, Panathinaikos FC and AEK Athens in the Greek Super League. He won the double with Panathinaikos in season 2003-04. He also played for Cypriot side APOEL where he...
and EURO 2004 winner Fanis Katergiannakis
Fanis Katergiannakis
Theofanis "Fanis" Katergiannakis is a football player who plays as a goalkeeper.-Ethnikos Pylaias:...
. Kavala were promoted for the first time in 9 years to Greeces top division. In their quest to remain in the top flight they have signed José Reina's back up at Liverpool, Charles Itandje
Charles Itandje
Charles-Hubert Itandje is a footballer who plays for Atromitos as a goalkeeper.-RC Lens :Born in Bobigny, Paris of Cameroonian descent, Itandje began his professional career at French club RC Lens in 2001, for whom he made 170 league appearances and 21 appearances in European games...
and recently acquired Brazilian Denílson
Denílson de Oliveira Araújo
Denílson de Oliveira Araújo , commonly known as Denílson, is a Brazilian former footballer, who played mostly as a left winger...
(January 2010 transfer window) a 2002 World Cup Winner. Additional season signings include Craig Moore
Craig Moore
Craig Andrew Moore , is a retired Australian soccer defender.Moore is best known for his two spells with Scottish Premier Division / Scottish Premier League club Rangers...
, Željko Kalac
Željko Kalac
Željko Kalac is a retired Australian football goalkeeper. Standing at 2.02m, Kalac is one of the world's tallest professional goalkeepers....
, Ebi Smolarek, Diogo Rincón
Diogo Rincon
Diogo Augusto Pacheco da Fontoura, nickname Diogo Rincón or just Rincón is a professional Brazilian football player, who is a free agent.- Career :...
, Sotiris Leontiou
Sotiris Leontiou
Sotiris Leontiou is a Greek defensive midfielder that can also play as a left full back. He currently plays for Panathinaikos FC.-Career:...
, Serge Dié
Serge Dié
Serge Dié is an Ivorian footballer.-Career:He was born in a family of 9 children and he very fast faced a terrible tragedy, the death of his father, André DIE, at the young age of 14 years old....
, Wilson Oruma
Wilson Oruma
Wilson Oruma is a former football midfielder from Nigeria.He became the tournament top goalscorer when Nigeria won the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championships...
and Frédéric Mendy
Frédéric Mendy
Frédéric Mendy is a Senegalese-French football midfielder currently playing for Stade Lavallois.-International goals:-External links:**...
, . This combined with coach Aad de Mos meant that Kavala set the league alight. They subsequently achieved notable victories in the 2009–2010 season against Iraklis FC, Panionios, AEK FC and Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
.
2010–2011 Season
Ending in 6th place, the team entered the transfer season. In July, the Spanish goalkeeper, Lopez Vallejo (who played in Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
) was added to the roster. The team's owner sought the new manager throughout Europe and settled on the Serbian coach Dragomir Okuka who lasted until November, when he was replaced by Henryk Kasperczak
Henryk Kasperczak
Henryk Wojciech Kasperczak is a Polish football manager and a football player.As a player, Kasperczak took part in two FIFA World Cups with Poland, achieving third place in 1974, as well as a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada.As a manager, Kasperczak enjoyed most...
. In Kasperczak's debut as a coach, Kavala beat AEK, 2–1, in what was considered a very good appearance.
But in March 2011, Kasperczak, retired as the coach of this team, and he was replaced by Ioannis Matzourakis
Ioannis Matzourakis
Ioannis Matzourakis is a Greek association football manager and former player. He is currently employed by Kavala FC....
, who was the coach in Kavala FC team in the seasons 1985-1986. Kavala finished 7th and later faced the threat of relegation to Football League (Greece) due to the match-fixing scandal
Koriopolis
The Koriopolis is the name given by the Greek press for a match fixing scandal in Greek football that came to light in June 2011. The investigation centres around offences including illegal gambling, fraud, extortion and money laundering....
. After an appeal, the team managed to avoid relegation by starting the new league with 8 points less. On 23 August, however, the Professional Sports Committee stripped both Kavala and Olympiakos Volou from their professional licence and demoted them to the Delta Ethniki.
League Participation
- Alpha Ethniki: 1969–1975, 1976–1982, 1994–1995, 1996–2000, 2009–2011
- Beta Ethniki: 1965–1969, 1975–1976, 1982–1989, 1990–1994, 1995–1996, 2000–2001, 2002–2003, 2008–2009
- Gamma Ethniki: 1989–1990, 2001–2002, 2003–2008
- Delta Ethniki: 2011-2012
Current squad
As of 17 July 2011For latest transfers see List of Greek football transfers summer 2011
Coaching & Medical staff
| Manager: Elvis Scoria Elvis Scoria Elvis Scoria is a Croatian former football player and as of December 2010, the manager of HNK Rijeka in the Croatian First League.... Coach: Danilo Doncic Goalkeeper Coach: Aleksandar Kocić Aleksandar Kocic Aleksandar Kocić , is a Serbian former football goalkeeper.... Club doctor: Dr. Dimitris Tsirkas Physiotherapist: Iosif Michailidis |
Foreign players
Only five Non-EU Nationals can be registered in the Greek Super leagueSuper League Greece
The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
. Foreign players with an EU passport are registered as EU-Nationals
EU Nationals
Bartholomew Ogbeche Pierre DucrocqPierre Ducrocq
Pierre Ducrocq is a French footballer who currently plays for Kavala in the Super League Greece.-External links:**...
López Vallejo
Javier López Vallejo
Javier López Vallejo is a Spanish footballer who plays for Kavala F.C. in Greece, as a goalkeeper.-Football career:...
Horacio CardozoHoracio Ramón Cardozo
Horacio Ramon Cardozo is an Argentine football midfielder currently playing for Kavala F.C.. He was born in Goya, Argentina.He played several years for Estudiantes de la Plata...
60s – 80s
- Sergio Espinoza Elvio ManaElvio ManaElvio Mana is a retired Argentine football player.Mana began his playing career with Quilmes and appeared in nine Primera Division Argentina matches for the club. He moved to Greece where he had spells with Kalamata, Panachaiki and Kavala in the Alpha Ethniki.Following his playing career, Mana...
- Raul Vallian Dietmar ConstantiniDietmar ConstantiniDietmar "Didi" Constantini is a former Austrian association football player and now head coach.He was appointed as head coach of Austria in March 2009. He is assisted by Heinz Peischl....
- Onoufrios Charalambidis
- Dimos Filippidis
- Michalis Iordanidis
- Vangelis Kapetanidis
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- Panagiotis Koiveroglou
- Pavlos Kopsachilis
- Kostas Liolios
- Grigoris Machairidis
- Antonis Modouras
- Fotis Papadopoulos
- Dimitris Paridis
- Giorgos Rigas
- Stathis Triantafyllidis
||
90s – present
Yervand SukiasyanYervand Sukiasyan
Yervand Garsevanovich Sukiasyan was an Armenian professional football defender. Played in 35 international matches for the Armenia national team since his debut in 1994.Sukiasyan finished his playing career with Kerkyra F.C. in the Greek Gamma Ethniki....
Željko Kalac
Željko Kalac
Željko Kalac is a retired Australian football goalkeeper. Standing at 2.02m, Kalac is one of the world's tallest professional goalkeepers....
Craig Moore
Craig Moore
Craig Andrew Moore , is a retired Australian soccer defender.Moore is best known for his two spells with Scottish Premier Division / Scottish Premier League club Rangers...
Alfred Hörtnagl
Alfred Hörtnagl
Alfred Hörtnagl is a retired Austrian football player.-Club career:Born in Tyrol, the defensive midfielder played mostly for Tirol Innsbruck...
Ivan Mitev Jean-Claude Darcheville
Jean-Claude Darcheville
Jean-Claude Ducan Darcheville is a former French footballer who played as a striker. He played for various clubs in France, England and Scotland. He spent the final two years of his career with Greek Super League side AO Kavala....
Agapitos Ambelas Nikos Argyriou Anestis Athanasiadis
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- Kyrillos Kallimanis Nikos KarageorgiouNikos KarageorgiouNikos Karageorgiou is the manager of Greek sports club Ergotelis.As a football player he was a member of Eratino Kavala , AO Kavala , PAOK , Panathinaikos and Skoda Xanthi...
Fanis KatergiannakisFanis KatergiannakisTheofanis "Fanis" Katergiannakis is a football player who plays as a goalkeeper.-Ethnikos Pylaias:...
Vassilios Lakis Panagiotis Logaras Giorgos Mallios Giorgos Nasiopoulos Giorgos Papandreou Dimitris SalpigidisDimitris SalpigidisDimitris Salpigidis Dimitris Salpigidis Dimitris Salpigidis (Greek: Δημήτρης Σαλπιγγίδης, (born 18 August 1981, Thessaloniki) is a Greek football striker. He plays for PAOK FC and the Greek national team.-Playing career:...
Miltiadis SapanisMiltiadis SapanisMiltiadis Sapanis is a Greek football player, who now plays for Agrotikos Asteras.-Club career:Sapanis previously played for Paniliakos, Panathinaikos FC and AEK Athens in the Greek Super League. He won the double with Panathinaikos in season 2003-04. He also played for Cypriot side APOEL where he...
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- Giorgos Stratilatis Theodoros ZagorakisTheodoros Zagorakis-Kavala:Zagorakis was a defensive midfielder who usually operated on the right hand side of midfield. He started his career with Kavala, the club that also produced Zisis Vryzas, with whom he became close friends...
Nima NakisaNima Nakisa-Club career:Nakisa first entered the limelight in Iranian football when he played for Persepolis FC. Following World Cup 1998, Nakisa was transferred to Albanian Side KS Flamurtari Vlorë, but left very soon after to AO Kavalas. He had a tough time there, and moved back to Iran the season after...
Wael NazhaWael NazhaWael Nazha is a retired Lebanese footballer.-Career:Nazha began his playing career in Lebanon, eventually joining Beirut-based side Nejmeh. He spent one season playing for Kavala in the Greek Alpha Ethniki. He finished his career in the lower levels of English football, playing for A.F.C...
Wilson OrumaWilson OrumaWilson Oruma is a former football midfielder from Nigeria.He became the tournament top goalscorer when Nigeria won the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championships...
Leszek PiszLeszek PiszLeszek Pisz is a former Polish footballer who plays as a midfielder.- History :Pisz arrived to Legia Warszawa in 1986 from Igloopol Dębica. At first, he was a substitute but later he become a star of the team...
Euzebiusz SmolarekEuzebiusz SmolarekEuzebiusz "Ebi" Smolarek is a Polish footballer who is currently player of Qatari Al-Khor. He has played 46 times for the Polish national football team. Smolarek plays primarily as a striker or winger.-Club career:...
Igor SypniewskiIgor SypniewskiIgor Sypniewski is a former Polish footballer.-Club career:Sypniewski began his career with ŁKS Łódź, a club for whom he would play several seasons in the Polish Ekstraklasa and Polish First League. He also spent several seasons playing in the Greek Super League with Kavala, Panathinaikos and...
Hernán Rodrigo LópezHernán Rodrigo LópezHernán Rodrigo López Mora is an Uruguayan football player who plays as a forward for Club Atlético Banfield of the Primera División Argentina.-Club:...
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Coaches
Giannis PapakostasGiannis Papakostas
Giannis Papakostas is a Greek football manager who is currently coaching AE Larissa. Papakostas begain his coaching career at Eleusina and Chalkidona and PAS Giannina that he broght into the semi-final of Greek Cup in the season 2006–2007. Papakostas later cut his teeth on such clubs as...
(2008–09) Vasilis Daniil Michalis Bellis Grzegorz Lato
Grzegorz Lato
Grzegorz Bolesław Lato is a former Polish football striker, and the leading scorer at the 1974 World Cup. Lato's playing career coincided with the golden era of Polish football, which began with Olympic gold in Munich in 1972 and ended a decade later with third place at the 1982 World Cup in...
Kostas Iosifidis Nikos Goulis Stratos Voutsakelis
League history
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Sources: