Hristos Karipidis
Encyclopedia
Christos Karipidis is a Greek professional footballer currently playing for Marfin Laiki Championship
club Omonia Nicosia.
on 3 August 2006 for a fee of around £200,000. Karapidis made his Hearts debut against AEK Athens in a third-round UEFA Champions League
qualifier at Murrayfield
on 9 August 2006 in a defensive midfield role, Hearts lost the game 2-1.
In August 2008 Karipidis looked set for a return to his former club PAOK
following an indifferent start to his Hearts career and the birth of his daughter. Hearts negotiated a fee in the region of £200,000 as they looked to recoup the fee they paid to sign him from the Greek club 2 years earlier and he was offered a four-year deal by PAOK.
However, newly appointed manager Csaba László
convinced Karipidis to stay and decided to use him as a holding midfielder, an idea which was initially met with a negative reaction by Hearts fans. Karipidis himself insisted he was happy to play anywhere László decided. Despite having played most of his career as either a central defender or occasionally a right-back Karipidis performed well in his new role, prompting László to say "Karipidis, at the moment, is the discovery of the year in the number six position."
In February 2009, captain Christophe Berra
signed for Wolves
and Karipidis was made Hearts' vice-captain after teammate Robbie Neilson
was given the captaincy.
On 27 April 2009 Hearts announced that Karipidis had a pre-contract agreement with Omonia Nicosia which would see him join the Cypriot
side on a three-year deal at the end of the season. He stated that although he had enjoyed his time in Scotland
, the move was motivated by his desire to be closer to his home and relatives in Greece
. His final appearance at Tynecastle came in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United which confirmed Hearts' place in the Europa League for the following season and third place in the SPL
. He was replaced by Jason Thomson
in the closing stages of the match and received a standing ovation from the Hearts fans.
, but without playing.
Following Karipidis' good start to the 2008-09 season
former Hearts player and current technical director of the Hellenic Football Federation Takis Fyssas
announced that he was in the plans of the Greek national team.
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
club Omonia Nicosia.
Hearts
He joined Hearts from PAOK FCPAOK FC
P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
on 3 August 2006 for a fee of around £200,000. Karapidis made his Hearts debut against AEK Athens in a third-round 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...
qualifier at Murrayfield
Murrayfield
Murrayfield is an affluent area in the west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is to the east of Corstorphine and west of Roseburn. The A8 road runs east-west through the north of the area....
on 9 August 2006 in a defensive midfield role, Hearts lost the game 2-1.
In August 2008 Karipidis looked set for a return to his former club PAOK
PAOK FC
P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
following an indifferent start to his Hearts career and the birth of his daughter. Hearts negotiated a fee in the region of £200,000 as they looked to recoup the fee they paid to sign him from the Greek club 2 years earlier and he was offered a four-year deal by PAOK.
However, newly appointed manager Csaba László
Csaba László
Csaba László is a Romanian born Hungarian football manager and former player. He is the manager of Belgian Pro League club Charleroi SC. He is former manager of Scottish Premier League club...
convinced Karipidis to stay and decided to use him as a holding midfielder, an idea which was initially met with a negative reaction by Hearts fans. Karipidis himself insisted he was happy to play anywhere László decided. Despite having played most of his career as either a central defender or occasionally a right-back Karipidis performed well in his new role, prompting László to say "Karipidis, at the moment, is the discovery of the year in the number six position."
In February 2009, captain Christophe Berra
Christophe Berra
Christophe Berra is a Scottish international footballer who currently plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers.-Hearts:Berra joined Hearts on 26 April 2002 from their youth development system...
signed for Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
and Karipidis was made Hearts' vice-captain after teammate Robbie Neilson
Robbie Neilson
Robbie Neilson is a Scottish internationalist professional association footballer who plays as a right back or centre back. He is currently contracted to Dundee United until the end of the 2010-11 season. Neilson started his league career with Heart of Midlothian, for whom he made 200 Scottish...
was given the captaincy.
On 27 April 2009 Hearts announced that Karipidis had a pre-contract agreement with Omonia Nicosia which would see him join the Cypriot
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
side on a three-year deal at the end of the season. He stated that although he had enjoyed his time in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the move was motivated by his desire to be closer to his home and relatives in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. His final appearance at Tynecastle came in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United which confirmed Hearts' place in the Europa League for the following season and third place in the SPL
Scottish Premier League 2008-09
The 2008–09 Scottish Premier League season was the eleventh season of the Scottish Premier League and the second season under the sponsorship of the Clydesdale Bank...
. He was replaced by Jason Thomson
Jason Thomson
Jason Thomson is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Scottish Premier League club Dunfermline Athletic, on loan from Heart of Midlothian.-Youth career:...
in the closing stages of the match and received a standing ovation from the Hearts fans.
Omonia Nicosia
The signing of contract of Karipidis was announced on 1 June 2009. His first season wasn't good with Christos having problems to settle,but his second season was very good and he became the defensive leader. After the end of the season he was named new season's vice captain.International career
Karipidis was a part of the Greek squad at the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, but without playing.
Following Karipidis' good start to the 2008-09 season
Scottish Premier League 2008-09
The 2008–09 Scottish Premier League season was the eleventh season of the Scottish Premier League and the second season under the sponsorship of the Clydesdale Bank...
former Hearts player and current technical director of the Hellenic Football Federation Takis Fyssas
Takis Fyssas
Panagiotis "Takis" Fyssas is a former Greek international footballer. He is currently technical director of the Hellenic Football Federation.-Panionios:...
announced that he was in the plans of the Greek national team.
Honours
OmoniaAC Omonia
Athletic Club Omonoia Nicosia is a professional football club that plays in the Cyprus capital city Nicosia. The club was established in 1948 and became a member of the Cyprus Football Association in 1953...
- Cypriot ChampionshipCypriot First DivisionThe Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
: 2010 - Cypriot Cup: 20112010–11 Cypriot CupThe 2010–11 Cypriot Cup is the 69th edition and started on November 10, 2010.-Bracket:-First round:The first legs were played on November 10, 2010...
- Cyprus FA Shield: 2010
External links
- Appearances at londonhearts.com