George Koumantarakis
Encyclopedia
Georgios "George" Koumantarakis ' onMouseout='HidePop("16965")' href="/topics/Athens">Athens
, Greece
) is a retired South Africa
n football player of Greek
descent. He was born in Athens
, Greece
but grew up in Durban
, South Africa
.
He is mostly remembered for his time at FC Basel
where he played in the Swiss Super League
and UEFA Champions League
. He played for the South African national team
and was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
.
n team AmaZulu F.C.
in 1992. He left the club after 6 months, however, to join Manning Rangers
where he won the South African title. He joined one of South Africa's most successful teams, Supersport United FC, in 1996 for a then record South African club to club transfer. He was a success at Supersport and his big move to Europe
came in 1998 when he signed for Swiss
club FC Luzern. He had a good debut European season in Luzern and did enough to impress Christian Gross
, manager of Swiss giants FC Basel
. He spent the next three seasons at Basel, playing over 90 games and scoring 48 goals. His period at Basel was undoubtably the best of his career, winning national titles and playing in European competitions culminating in him appearing in the champions league in 2002/2003 season.Basel went on to the final group phase of the competition that year. A move to England
was on the cards next for Koumantarakis, signing for Championship
outfit Preston North End in 2002. He was a big signing for Preston but failed to live up to expectations as he was injured on international duty after helping Preston recover from 18th in the log to just off the play off places. He left Preston for German
club Rot-Weiß Erfurt in the 2004/05 season but his time there was plagued by injury and he only played a handful of games. Erfurt released Koumantarakis at the end of the season and he signed for SpVgg Greuther Fürth
. He retired without playing a game for Fürth after failing to overcome his persistent knee injury.
from 1997 until injury started to plague his career in 2004. He was drafted into the squad often but was usually a reserve behind the likes of Benni McCarthy
and Sibusiso Zuma
. He made his international debut against Congo
, in a 2-0 defeat, on the 6 April 1997 and played his last game for Bafana Bafana on the 20 June 2004 in a 3-0 defeat to Ghana
. The high point of his international career was playing at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
in Korea
& Japan
where he made a substitute appearance in all three of South Africa's group matches.
In total, he accumulated 13 caps scoring one goal.
: 1995 Swiss Cup: 2002 Swiss Super League
: 2002
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
) is a retired South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n football player of Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
descent. He was born in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
but grew up in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
He is mostly remembered for his time at FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
where he played in the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
and UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. He played for the South African national team
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
and was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
.
Club career
George Koumantarakis started out at South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n team AmaZulu F.C.
AmaZulu F.C. (South Africa)
AmaZulu is a South African football club based in the city of Durban.Formed in 1932 by Zulu migrant workers, the club was originally known as Zulu Royals.The club's nickname, Usuthu, is a Zulu war cry.-Honours:...
in 1992. He left the club after 6 months, however, to join Manning Rangers
Manning Rangers
Manning Rangers is a defunct South African football club formerly based in Durban and probably best remembered as the champions of the inaugural season of the Premier Soccer League...
where he won the South African title. He joined one of South Africa's most successful teams, Supersport United FC, in 1996 for a then record South African club to club transfer. He was a success at Supersport and his big move to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
came in 1998 when he signed for Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
club FC Luzern. He had a good debut European season in Luzern and did enough to impress Christian Gross
Christian Gross
Christian Gross is a professional football coach and former player who currently manages Young Boys Bern. Before that he managed VfB Stuttgart until his dismissal in October 2010. He was manager of FC Basel from 1 July 1999 to 27 May 2009.-Playing career:Gross began his playing career at...
, manager of Swiss giants FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
. He spent the next three seasons at Basel, playing over 90 games and scoring 48 goals. His period at Basel was undoubtably the best of his career, winning national titles and playing in European competitions culminating in him appearing in the champions league in 2002/2003 season.Basel went on to the final group phase of the competition that year. A move to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was on the cards next for Koumantarakis, signing for Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
outfit Preston North End in 2002. He was a big signing for Preston but failed to live up to expectations as he was injured on international duty after helping Preston recover from 18th in the log to just off the play off places. He left Preston for German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
club Rot-Weiß Erfurt in the 2004/05 season but his time there was plagued by injury and he only played a handful of games. Erfurt released Koumantarakis at the end of the season and he signed for SpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth is a German association football club based in Fürth, Bavaria. The club was formed when the senior football side of newcomer Turn- und Sportverein Vestenbergsgreuth joined traditional club Spielvereinigung Fürth on 1 July 1996...
. He retired without playing a game for Fürth after failing to overcome his persistent knee injury.
International career
George Koumantarakis played for the South African national teamSouth Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
from 1997 until injury started to plague his career in 2004. He was drafted into the squad often but was usually a reserve behind the likes of Benni McCarthy
Benni McCarthy
Benedict Saul "Benni" McCarthy is a South African footballer who is currently contracted to Orlando Pirates in South Africa.McCarthy holds the record of international goals for a South African...
and Sibusiso Zuma
Sibusiso Zuma
Sibusiso Wiseman Zuma is a South African professional football player playing for Supersport United in the Premier Soccer League.- Career :...
. He made his international debut against Congo
Congo national football team
The Congo national football team, nicknamed the Diables Rouges , is the national team of the Republic of the Congo and is controlled by the Fédération Congolaise de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup, but did win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1972...
, in a 2-0 defeat, on the 6 April 1997 and played his last game for Bafana Bafana on the 20 June 2004 in a 3-0 defeat to Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
. The high point of his international career was playing at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
in Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
& Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
where he made a substitute appearance in all three of South Africa's group matches.
In total, he accumulated 13 caps scoring one goal.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-05-20 | Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
2-0 | 2-0 | HKSAR Reunification Cup HKSAR Reunification Cup HKSAR Reunification Cup is a cup competition for celebrating the reunification of Hong Kong to China from finishing the colonial rule by United Kingdom. The first edition of the cup was held on 3 July 1997, two days after the Day of Establishment of HKSAR. The second edition was featured by a... |
Team Awards
Premier Soccer LeaguePremier Soccer League
Premier Soccer League is the trading name of the National Soccer League of South Africa. The top league is the ABSA Premiership, sponsored by ABSA...
: 1995 Swiss Cup: 2002 Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
: 2002